Chaos Origin
by AAV-sama
Summary: Long ago, Celestia and Luna found a strange creature. He had no name and no memories, but quite an odd and fun behavior. He found love, friendship, and a home with them... But he eventually fell from grace, and the inevitable occurred. Follow the history of the past that had to change, and the story of the present that could be no different. Features Dislestia and other characters.
1. Meeting At Night

The cold night winds echoed through the land of the kingdom that would be known as Equestria. Through the Everfree Forest flew a form that was neither a pony nor any other land-creature. He had descended from a faraway place in search of some amusement, as his previous home had bored him away. Not that he could remember that.

Taking physical form and with no memory of who he was, the young, mismatched creature continued on forward, searching for ways to delight his so monotonous time in this newly found land.

~~~

A young Princess Luna stood over the window of their then modest palace, looking around to the bare, yet beautiful land.

She sighed as she heard the quiet and calm sounds of night. Then she opened her eyes again, doing her best to practice the disciplinary watch over the land that she had been taught. Something, some detail, was off and unusual, but the young princess could not place it.

~~~

The stranger tapped his claws together and explored his surroundings. "Hmm. Such a beautiful night. All creatures asleep, and not a single disturbance of their peace. So quiet, and harmonious... How boring." With the final statement, he landed firmly on the ground, his hoof and foot closing on a ladybug.

His eagle claw extended, and with a quick snap, turned the little critter into a thirty-feet version of itself. He whipped it quickly with his feathered tail, and the creature set off on a wild stampede across the forest. He rolled on the floor as he laughed and held his sides with his paw and claw.

~~~

A dark blue preadolescent mare gasped as she suddenly heard the loud noises that came from the forest. She had been keeping watch over the land over which she and her sister ruled. It had all been tranquil until that moment.

"Wh-What?!" She turned aside and powered her wings to carry her above the palace in order to have a better look.

She raised an eyebrow as she noticed a large... creature, wreaking havoc in the forest. "What... What ist that?!" She looked back at the palace, then frowned and decided to look over the matter herself.

She was Princess Luna, and-young as she was-she had vowed to protect the world of night from any disturbance. Although she was still in training, and on top of that at a lower magical level than her older sister, she was determined to take her duty as seriously as it could get. She was not going to let her masters and sister down.

~~~

The other male creature continued to amuse himself with the ladybugs. "You little creatures, why were you made so small? Let's change that, shall we!"

Another quick snap of his claw and a dozen more ladybugs found themselves of monstrous size, with all of them facing the same way.

He summoned a leash inside the nearest one's mouth and grabbed a hold of it. As he did, he also summoned an oval-shaped, long board under his feet, and whipped the creature.

That one startled the rest, and they all charged in the same direction, while he held the leash and motioned the board as if it were over water, yet merely floated in the air. He let out a joyous laugh as he practiced his new invention.

"Ladybugs?! What-" Luna flew closer to them and nearly got hit by some of the huge creatures.

As the ladybugs kept on charging out of the forest and to the fields headed, the leading stranger let go of the leash and slid down a road. He converted it to ice and slid through it with full joy. "Well that was fun. Now, what to do next?"

Luna grunted a bit as she used her power to push the ladybugs away from the fields that the village depended on. "Ngh!" She winced when she was pushed back a bit by the force of the spell.

"Ehm? What's this?" He turned to see a blue young mare leading his newly formed creatures away from the fields. He teleported next to her, with a quick snap of his fingers. "Say little one, what are you doing to my precious new creations? Don't you like them?"

The Night Princess immediately backed away from him. "Who art thou?!" Though the tone of her voice was still that of a filly for the most part, she tried to sound fierce with her demands. After all, she was not that little a filly anymore.

"Why dost thou disrupt our kingdom with such... such... atrocities?! We demand that thou stop, right now!" She stood her ground and glared at the stranger.

He burst out in uncontrollable laughter after he witnessed the little filly's attempt of intimidation. "That... That's a really funny way to speak! Okay, okay, my turn."

He cleared his throat and appeared a long, twirly white wig above his head. He also wore a long, red coat. "Is it not best fitting size, that which I've given those poor little creepers? Had thou receivest the recognition of being that cutest form of intimidation?" He spoke with a falsetto tone.

"Thou art mocking us! We art serious, stop whatever it ist thou did at once!" She glared up at him, then looked back at the ladybugs as they moved away once again.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, you're no fun." He snapped his fingers and watched as the ladybugs immediately returned to their normal size. "Didn't that make you laugh inside? Not even a slight giggle?"

"Why would something that mocks us be amusing to us?" She raised an eyebrow as she watched him from the corner of her eyes.

He teleported behind the princess and picked her up with both his claw and paw. "No laughter? Oh, can't have that, now, can we?" He stretched his eagle paw and appeared a white feather, then grinned at her.

"Get thy claws off us, thou... beast!" She glared at him again as she tried to struggle free.

"Hey, there, easy, little one. I'm not gonna hurt you, I just want to play."

"Play?! We art NOT to be played with! Unhand us! This ist by far the most-"

He raised an eyebrow and covered her mouth with his paw. "Hey. Let's just talk, okay? I'm not gonna hurt you, and you're far too little to make a fuss like this."

She turned away from him and gave him an up and down glance to observe him. "Thou still hath not answered our question. What ist thy name... And, for that matter, why art thou here?" She quickly decided that he might as well be the strangest creature she ever saw.

He ignored her remarks and simply started to tickle her with the feather. "Oh, you talk too much, dear... you." He held her with his lion paw to make sure that she would not fall.

She started to laugh, though she did make attempts to push him off her. "S-Stop it! Let-Let us go!" She tried to speak between laughs and did her best to keep her dignity intact, but she quite failed at it. In fact, the more he tickled her, the more she started to like it, as the filly that she still was. Oh, she could not have that. She was a princess and would be treated as such.

"Is it not better to simply laugh with the moment? Oh, I'd let you go, but you seem to be enjoying this." He moved the feather to the tip of her hooves and chuckled. "Right?"

"N-No! Wh-Whoever thou art, stop it this-this instant-" She was interrupted by laughter again. She could not use her magic or even think decently, with him distracting her with that blasted feather.

Just who was he and what did he want?

After a while of indulging himself in his tickling game, he vanished the feather. "Oh well, you seem to be rather persistent in your curiosity about me." He let her go as she took deep breaths to calm down.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but I'll tell you my way." He vanished and appeared floating in the air around her. "I am incomplete, but part of a whole. All I can craft and make, yet tools I don't possess. Where I'm from I don't know, where I go, I do not care. What do I want? To bring all a little fun."

She gave him a cautious look. "That hardly answers anything. thy 'creations' nearly destroyed a field that ist necessary for our survival, not to mention any other destruction that would have occurred. We do not think that ist 'fun', at the contrary. It should be punished-"

"Oh, is that where they were headed? Well, can't have a joke without a punchline. Right?" He appeared a chair of marshmallows behind him and sat on it. "But now that we started this little game, it's time for you to answer MY questions."

"Oh, We have absolutely no need to follow along thy-"

He leaned a bit closer to her. "Who are you? And better yet, WHAT are you?"

The young mare fluttered her wings a bit before clearing her throat. She held her head high as she introduced herself proudly. "We art Princess Luna, protector of this land and the Night. We art a pony. An alicorn, rather, as thou can plainly see."

"...And what, pray-tell, is a 'pony'?" He picked one of the marshmallows from his chair and ate it, crunching it in his mouth as if it were roasted. "Do they do anything fun?"

"We suppose the subjects do amuse themselves with various activities. However, royalty like us have different tasks, as the peace and safety of our pony folk ist our responsibility. That ist why We came to make sure thou did not pose any danger. It appears thou dost not. Not any longer, at least. So We wilt be on our way." She stepped aside to turn around.

"Oh, so soon?" He teleported behind her. "Why don't we play a little game? Another game, something more interesting? Can't say no to that." He leaned his head on his paw as he looked at her. His body was laid on the air as though it was a solid surface that supported him.

She let out an annoyed sigh. "A game? Oh, We have no time for that. We art quite busy, as We already told thee. It ist important that we continue our duties through the night."

He swiftly took Luna's tiara and spun it in his finger. He tossed it into the air and with a quick snap of his fingers, the object grew a pair of bat wings and flew to the clouds. "But how can you go back without your little crown? If you want it back, I guess we'll have to play the game."

He chuckled as he saw her frustrated expression. "No other way to it."

She tried to chase after her tiara, but stopped after it flew out of her reach. "Why must thou make us waste our time like this?! Unlike thee, We have important responsibilities.

He teleported upside down above the clouds, glancing at the tiara as it flew around him. "You know... I really have no idea. I just simply love to do these things. If you loosen up a little, you might enjoy it, too. Are you going to play my game?"

She grumbled a bit before she answered. "We have no other choice. But We really have no time, as We have plenty of assignments to take care of."

"Oh, lighten up, Luna. You're really going to enjoy this!"

Three clouds appeared and circled one another. They slowly placed themselves in a new order, next to each other.

"All you have to do is pick the right cloud and get your tiara back. Three guesses, go!"

She raised an eyebrow and looked at one of the clouds, on the left. "We choose... that one." She pointed at it with her hoof.

He twirled his fingers and the cloud revealed itself to be a sheep. It hopped over the clouds and went away. "Sorry. Guess again."

Luna blinked, then frowned a bit. She pointed to the one at the right.

He snapped his fingers, and the cloud revealed itself to be a piece of cardboard. "And the winner IS...!"

She groaned with exasperation. "This ist ridiculous." Her horn started to glow with her magic. "We order thee to stop playing games. Thou hast won, anyway." She looked at the last cloud.

"Oh really?" With another snap of his fingers, the cloud turned into a pile of white sand. He let out a loud laugh as he pulled the tiara from the cloud that he stood on, and placed it on his head.

"Give that back! Now! We art sick of fooling around with thee, it ist time that We get back to the palace!" Her horn glowed again, threatening to shoot magic to blow him back like she had with the ladybugs. "We have run out of patience with thy games. It ist over now!"

He glowed white and transformed himself into an exact replica of Luna. The second princess walked and stood right before the the other. "Why dost thou threatenest in such crude manner? Hast thou not enjoyed the night? It hast been quite nice, hasn't it?"

Luna blinked and stepped away from the copy of herself. "Enjoy it?! Why would We?! It hast been thoroughly irritating to say the least! Just like thy current copy game ist now."

She scowled at him and continued to nag him. She had quite an authoritative and annoyed tone, despite being considerably smaller than the other creature, hardly larger than a younger filly. "Thou should be ashamed of thyself, mocking a princess in such a manner! Not that thou seemest to know the difference, though."

"We do not waste time with games. There art lots to do regarding our training. As We art the youngest, We must train harder to catch up to our older sister. We want to be an exemplary ruler and protector of this land, as We happen to love it."

She turned away from him and looked at the bare land that stretched out before them. She had a small, proud smile on her face. "Sister ist certain that it wilt become a great land one day, and that we must love and protect it so it may become so. However, We already cherish it, as it is, and have vowed to do anything, our hardest, to keep it safe."

He scratched his head as he looked at the land. _They like this enormous patch of dirt?_ He shrugged and glanced away from it._Eh, what's so great about it?_

Luna blushed a bit. "That wast too much explanation for such a simple matter. At least now thou wilt know best than to cause any more trouble, as this land and the subjects that look up to our protection art very important to us."

He watched her as she prepared to fly off. "Well, no need to get so touchy about it. You're quite easy to get into a bad mood, you know."

She gave him a cute glare that she did her best to turn frightening and fierce. "We wilt be benevolent and issue thee a warning. But do something else to disturb the peace of the night and We... We wilt make sure thou repentest for it!"

She tried to keep her regal composure and poise as she started to fly away from the creature she had just appalled with her authority. However, she could not help glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, fillyishly curious to see his reaction. She would be inwardly proud of herself if she left him wordless and awestruck with her royal manner.

Discord yawned and recovered his regular form. "Oh, dear Princess of the Night. You and I will soon have much more fun together. I have been here just days before getting here and this is the most fun I've had so far! Speaking of days, shouldn't the night be over in a few minutes?" He looked up at the sky, which was still dark.

She glared at him as if he had said something annoyingly obvious and cynical. "Yes. It should. And We hardly got anything productive done due to thy fooling around. Such a ridiculous waste of time, that ist all thou made us do. Trust us, We shalt never speak to thee again!"

She flew away just as the sky started to turn a light shade of blue.

The creature only snickered, thoroughly amused as he watched Luna storm away from him. "Oh, she is adorable when she is furious. Hahah." He headed back to the Everfree Forest and slid his way through the road dirt. As he did, he converted the road into a different color every time he laid a foot on the ground, laughing all the while.

* * *

...Yep! Writing MLP Fanfiction. 'Cause, I like MLP. And I am totally hooked and loving this one that we're doing. It's actually a role-play that my friend and I started a while ago. He's a secret brony, so I'm not sure if he feels comfortable with me saying his name yet. But boy, he plays a great Discord! I'm... basically every other character except Discord. And the villains. Yep, no villain characters for me... yet. In this chapter, Discord has first appeared in Equestria, and he's meeting Princess Luna for the first time, as it clearly illustrates. He's so young and cute-ohmygod! And I love the relationship between these two. Hardly know each other and already they're like a bickering brother and sister. Anyway. Ahem. Enjoy! Let's see how many followers THIS gets.


	2. Meeting At Day

**Meeting At Day**

A few hours had passed since the encounter between Princess Luna and the unknown creature. The sun was beginning to make its way up on the sky.

Another princess stepped out of the palace. Her coat was white. She had golden plates on her hooves and her chest, and a golden tiara sitting upon a flowing pink mane that started to show traces of many different pastel colors. She had a sun cutie mark on her flank.

Like her younger sister, Princess Celestia was not a fully-grown mare yet, but she still looked less like a filly than Luna did. Her legs and wings were longer, and her body was starting to develop a bit more, too. She seemed to be at the age of some adolescence, though the creature that Luna had met still seemed to be slightly older than her.

Celestia yawned and looked up at the sun that she had raised. As she stepped out to the dew-covered palace grounds, she warmly greeted those that rose early with the day.

A guard reported that nothing unexpected occurred near the palace grounds or the villages that surrounded it. When the princess asked him why Luna did not issue the report herself, the guard told her that Luna had gone to bed right at dawn.

"Hm. She must have been very tired, if she went right to bed without reporting to me first. I wonder what she was up to all night." She laughed a bit and continued her walk through the grounds. "Well, I'll just let her rest. She probably worked herself out."

~~~

The creature from before laid back on top of a tree, relaxing after hours of entertainment and fun that he had created for himself. He shot lightning at the clouds in the sky and turned their shapes into animals.

They came to life and started to move all around the sky.

"Oh, nice. This place really has cool clouds. Look at them all, they make perfect puppets!"

~~~

Celestia made her way through the farthest end of the palace grounds. She had decided to venture a bit further and explore, hoping to find new things that would entertain her during the morning. However, she grew disappointed when she saw that even that far from the palace, things were not very uneventful.

"Everything seems normal around here..." She looked down at some plants that struggled to grow. They were rejuvenated with the energy that flowed from her hoof. "There, that's better."

Fields and farms with plenty of growing crops stood at a distance. The young Sun Princess was flattered when the farmers bowed respectfully when she went to greet them.

She bowed her head to them before she continued her walk. "Thank you very much. You're all doing a wonderful job."

"Thank thee, Thy Highness."

As Celestia ventured further through her land, she sensed a current of strange energy that concentrated somewhere in the forest. She looked up at the sky and noticed something that was even more strange.

All the clouds in the sky moved freely and realistically, as though they were actual animals. They even interacted with one another, and sometimes would make the slightest noises.

"What..." The princess decided to investigate the strange occurrence.

~~~

The young creature now amused himself as he manipulated the cloud beasts. He transformed them all into rams and made them clash their heads together when he snapped his fingers.

As they did, chocolate milk rained from the newly formed storm. He flew through the rain and savored it. "Heh. This tastes great! Better than I expected." He floated in the air to watch as more clouds crashed together.

~~~

Celestia raised an eyebrow at the strangeness. She did not stop as she walked around the edges of the forest to try and locate the source of the animal clouds. "This must be some kind of magic... I have never heard of anything like this, though..." She walked a bit faster when she noticed that the energy grew stronger.

~~~

He rose a small hill with a throne over it. He sat in it and saw a pair of tree apples next to his hill. He gave them life and had them dance a tango before his presence, for his amusement. "Yes, dance!"

Celestia stared at the strange scene. "Okay... That is way too..." She did not recognize the creature that sat a short distance away from her, nor could she explain the oddities that he created with no difficulty.

He blinked when he noticed yet another 'pony' from the corner of his eye. An alicorn, just like Luna had said she was. "Huh. That must be the sister! I wonder if she has a better sense of humor. Let's find out!" He smiled and snapped his fingers to move the things around him.

The trees bowed before him to make stair steps. He lowered himself to the white alicorn mare that stood before him. "And who do we have here?"

Celestia looked up at him. She was surprised by the appearance of the creature, but more so by his sudden, friendly demeanor towards her. He spoke to her as though he did not know what her position was. Not that she minded much.

She tried to keep her mane in place as a breeze blew by. She looked at the trees and everything else that the creature had made and changed. "Thou art... the one doing this, art thou not?"

He shrugged and floated around Celestia. "Hm. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Who's to ask?" He leaned closer to her to get a better look of the princess.

Celestia frowned a bit as she followed him with her eyes. "Well, I... We can see that thou art clearly thou causing the strange influence over the environment. So there ist no doubt about it, really."

He laughed a bit as she smiled. "Well, yeah, I'm the one." He looked at the dancing trees, the animal clouds, and the puddles of chocolate rain that sprang into joyful leaps every so often. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Well, I might say..."

He looked back at her. "You don't speak as funny."

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, I thought all creatures here spoke with that tedious, mouthful formal way, you know. Lots of '-eth', '-est', 'We', bunch of stuff like that everywhere. It became a pet peeve after hearing it so much."

Celestia blushed just a bit and chuckled at his humorous observation. "Oh, well, I'm not really one to burden myself with excessive formality. I find that it is better to address everypony with simple kindness, that's all. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all! You know, these great things I have created are quite fitting to you. Just as nice." He stretched his arms out to show her the grand environment around them.

She scooted aside a bit as she kept her eyes on him. A kind smile was still on her face despite him being the strangest creature that she ever saw. "Um, well, I suppose I'll take that as a compliment..."

"I even surprise myself sometimes, I have to admit."

She chuckled slightly again. "Really?"

He floated in front of her. "Tell me, to whom do I speak?" He smiled a bit and raised an eyebrow in question. "Bet you've got a nice name, right?"

Celestia smiled again and stood with poise as she introduced herself properly, though with not as much regality as her sister. Her mostly pink mane with pastel-colored highlights flowed slightly with the wind as she moved to take a proper stand. "To Princess Celestia, bringer of the Sun to the Land of Ponies, ruler of the Day and the latter, which you currently visit."

"Another princess. Interesting." He appeared a covered plate in his claw. "Well, it would be rude of me not to present myself with a gift." He pulled the top off and revealed a small piece of cake. "Would you like a taste, Princess of the Sun?"

She looked at the cake and shook her head politely. "I'm fine, thanks." She walked around the changed area. "You said 'another princess'. I take it you have met my little sister, then?"

He disappeared the plate. The cake then grew four green legs and began to hop away. "Oh yes, indeed. I do believe we became very good friends! We played a few games to pass the night."

"Games? Really? Luna is not really the playful sort. Not even much when she was a little filly. No wonder she was so tired." She watched the cake hop beside her before she turned her attention back on the humorous host. "You have not told me your name."

He was relieved to find that Celestia was easier to talk to due to her kind nature, which was actually just like her sister's. However, unlike Luna, Celestia was warmer and more open to others and their different ways. She was more used to handling other activities besides royal matters, so she was a bit more conversational and patient with strange antics, and that agreed to him quite well.

He stopped to think about what she had asked him. He seemed surprised and confused by the question. "Oh... I... I don't know. I don't think I've ever had one... Now, that is odd... I usually have everything, since I can just make it appear." He stood in a thinking pose before he looked at the princess questioningly. "Where and how do you get them?"

She tilted her head, a bit confused. "It is something that one obtains at birth. Your parents give it to you." She frowned, puzzled by the fact that the creature did not seem to know about the most basic concept that was a name.

"Um... 'Parents'? What are those?" He frowned a bit as he thought. "I... I don't remember any of this, only... a voice. It spoke to me in the dark..."

"The dark? And what dark would that be?"

He shrugged. "Next thing I know, I'm lost in this place, with an odd sensation inside to... laugh." He tried to push the confusion and worry off. "It's not much of a big deal, really... So long as I can have fun around here, I can be whatever I end up being."

How odd. She had never heard of anything like it. Or... seen, anything like him, for that matter. But she was determined to keep an open mind, not hurt his feelings, yet find as much as she could on the matter. "I see... Well, I guess it can't be helped..."

She smiled a little and laughed at the dancing trees. "We really don't have things like these here. Our world is normal, but tranquil and pleasant. So I must ask you to please keep your games in check. If things out of the ordinary start to occur so suddenly, it will frighten our subjects and demand our explanations."

She started to walk again as she spoke calmly to him. "I suggest that you do not startle anypony with your creations. Maybe keep them to yourself for a while instead. Perhaps my sister already mentioned that before. But, I wouldn't like you to-"

"Oh, she may have said something similar. I don't quite remember over the sound of her laughter, though. But how could I resist doing this?" He pointed to the cake and all of his other altered things.

"Isn't this great? Is it not more amusing when things make no sense for no reason? I don't really have a purpose, but something inside me just tells me how to create all this. And it's great! Lots of fun."

Celestia nodded in agreement. "You know, all things _are_ created for a reason. Everything and every action has a purpose and a consequence. Every action that occurs affects something. It is good to be spontaneous at times, I suppose, but one cannot overdo it."

He let out a bored sigh as he listened to her lecture. "Hm... Are things really _that_ connected?"

Celestia nodded as she showed him the beautiful forms of life and order that were scattered across her land. "Of course. Everything is connected. Everything must flow peacefully and in balance, of course, in order to keep things up. In order to sustain the lives that depend on this system, and on the nature that is balanced with order and..." She giggled a bit as she looked up at him. "Spontaneous fun."

He shook his head. "I don't know how you keep up with all of it."

"I rule over this land and care for it. It is something basic that I must know, in order to ensure the balance is kept for the safety and wellbeing of my subjects. I learned it very quickly, since I was a little filly, and have always liked the concept."

He raised an eyebrow, surprised at how dedicated both she and Luna were to their kingdom. He himself thought it was all pretty boring... But the princesses were something else.

He was a bit more surprised when he saw Celestia laugh as the trees that he had bent into steps wiggled and danced in place, then around her. "Oh... You like that?"

Celestia tried to hold in her laughter by raising a hoof to her mouth. "I think it is rather amusing, yes."

"But I thought you said-"

"I never said that your magic was out of place. It's good to have fun once in awhile. As long as one doesn't overdo it, remember? And these trees..." She giggled as a tree stretched out a branch toward her. "Why, these are just delightful! Quite lively, you've made them."

~~~

He had thought that, since she was the eldest, Celestia would be even more uptight than her little sister. Not to mention that she probably would be busier than her sister, since she ruled over as busy a time as daytime. But... It was quite the contrary, to his surprise.

She did keep in mind when it was time to keep him in line, and give him boring lectures, such as why he could not turn the stream and river that ran from the mountain into something he called 'pink lemonade'.

_"It's just for an experiment! You'll have to see the look in those ponies' faces when-"_

"No, you cannot turn all of our land's water sources into... pink lemonade. The fields that depend on the running of natural, clear water would get sick, my friend, and other things would be greatly affected as well. I have... no objection whatsoever to you making it rain 'pink lemonade' in here. In this harmless part of the forest. In fact, go ahead and do so, I would very much like to try this beverage creation of yours."

Indeed, she had no complaints when the clearing around them was covered in lemonade rain. To his delight, she ended up liking it quite a bit. She even asked him to think of a recipe that her chef could follow to create the delightful beverage.

_...There might be more to them after all..._ He stared at her as she scowled at the scroll that she held over her face with her magic. Even as she concentrated, she smiled a bit and gave her face a kind, glowing appearance that he liked very much.

She had spent a few minutes trying to figure out the ingredients that made the beverage. "Hm... What did you say it was called again?"

He shrugged and smiled. "Well, I call it 'lemonade'. Dunno if that-"

She nodded and turned back to the ingredient list. "Lemons, then, definitely. And sugar, since it's rather sweet, too... I wonder what else... How will we put the color in it? With magic? Is that possible? That'd make quite a spell"

He chuckled a bit as she continued to marvel at the things that he created for their amusement. They talked about the kingdom and the ponies that Celestia and Luna ruled and led in the land. But for the most part they just had fun with his different magic tricks and got to know each other better through the games and creations that both of them came up with.

* * *

Discord met Celestia on this one. Yay! ...I should probably tell you that my friend and I are also planning to make the whole Celestia-Discord pairing come to life. Not that you didn't already see this happening. So! Enough explaining, I believe.

There! My update of chapter 2 is done! I think it's much better, illustrating more into Celestia's character and explanation of the beloved balance she keeps in her precious land, but also illustrating her enjoyment of fun. 'Cause I can't have her being funny all of a sudden.

Also, the fact that Discord invented pink lemonade in the land that is bound to be Equestria was just delightful! It was either that, chocolate milk, or... _cherry soda_. The latter which I don't really have a clue where it came from or why. But either of those three was going to end up being one of Celestia's favorite beverages... I like lemonade. Maybe not pink, but still, so... lemonade it was.


	3. Nightmare Introductions

**Nightmare Introductions**

The Night Princess spent the morning resting while Celestia devotedly took over the daytime obligations. She was nocturnal and as such, more often than not left the day entirely under the responsibility of her older sister while she peacefully slept to be ready for nighttime.

That late morning, though, the common peace was disrupted by the unusually busy schedule of the maintenance ponies that worked at the palace gardens.

Luna sighed and nestled into her big pillow. She jumped a bit when other loud noises woke her up again. Very, very loud noises. It was, once again, the constructors that hurried over some of the garden spots, complaining about how they had been turned into soap or something like that.

She could also hear her sister's faint voice as she tried to explain and calm them down, then turned to somepony else. It sounded as though she was scolding that somepony, but Luna could not hear much of it, and honestly, did not really care.

That was supposed to be her resting time. She understood that daytime was much busier than night time (not once did she think of the noisy ponies as inconsiderate), but still...

She muttered wearily to herself. "Oh, how could We have forgotten...?" Her horn glowed blue with her magic as she looked at the window.

The heavy curtains of the window glowed blue as well and closed themselves. Perhaps if she closed the draping curtains the noise would stay out.

"Hmph. We should not have spent so much time with that... strange, creature, thing..." She yawned as her eyes started to close, and she rubbed them. A groan came out of her when she noticed that she could _still_ hear some of what went on outside. "Unbelievable, how wilt We get enough rest with all that noise...?"

She shifted a bit and wondered just what was happening out there. "Perhaps some light reading wilt help..." She pulled out a book from the shelf and opened it before her. However, her ear twitched again as she heard the faint sound of dirt being dug up.

Just when she was about to get up, though, the stars that were scattered all around her room started to glow from the darkness, just the way she liked it. The music box that Celestia had given her as a present long ago also began to play, soothing her with the lullaby melody. "Hm... We did not... turn that on..."

A dark shadow crept out of the music box. It watched the young princess as she slowly succumbed to tiresome sleep again.

Luna nodded off as she stared at the blurring contents of her spell book. "...Cancelling spells work... Nul-Nullification... energy... through..." She lifted her head for a few seconds as she tried to focus, but that moment of awareness lasted even less than the last one.

The shadow flew just a bit closer as she continued her attempts to read.

"...Thoughts..." Her eyes opened a bit more when she got the strange sensation that something was in her room. "Oh... W-Wake up, Luna, there ist nothing here... Just us, drifting off to sleep. Do not... This chapter ist impor-"

The music from the box got a bit louder to penetrate through her half-formed thoughts.

"Impor... portant... To..."

_"Go on, sweet princess... See how tired thou art? Get some well-deserved rest, now..."_

Luna yawned as her eyes finally closed. She mumbled incomprehensibly as her body finally slumped forward as her weariness beat her.

The shadow laid her carefully on the bed as she completely drifted off. _"There, good girl... Sleep well, Princess..."_ It grinned and entered her dreams as she moved a bit and nuzzled the open book as a pillow.

~~~

In her dream, Luna blinked and looked around with confusion. She did not realize yet that she had fallen asleep so quickly, and that the place where she was consisted entirely of a dream. What didn't help was that everything around her room looked just like it did in waking reality.

"Hm. Strange. Were We not on our... pillow?" She looked back at the pillow behind her. Even the book she had tried to read laid there, open, on the page where she left off.

She walked out of her room to find that every single corner of the palace was deserted. "Whence hast everypony gone...?"

Even the gardens were unattended. "How strange..." She was startled when loud trumpets and the sound of marching ponies was heard over in the distance.

A parade of soldiers and servants walked through the city's streets. They praised the Sun Princess, who sat in a mobile throne as the main attractor for the parade. The soldiers also carried a different flag, not of the two sisters, but of a white mare that raised her hooves with the sun on her left and the moon on the right, on her own.

The crowd of subjects was ecstatic as the mobile throne made its way through the road.

"Hm?" Luna looked around at the ponies that lined up at the dirt roads and cheered. "Such a celebration..." She walked over to them and noticed their joy as they cheered for the princess that sat on the throne before them. She watched as she gave them a warm greeting.

"It ist for her..." She looked up at the unknown flags. "Who ist that? Why dost everypony worship her this way? Have We heard of her? She dost not-"

_"All hail Celestia! All hail Celestia!"_ The roar of the crowd continued ferociously, startling her from her thoughts. The figure from before, named Sombra, looked at the scene below from the top of the palace.

Luna was speechless with surprise once the crowd revealed the princess' name. She frowned as she looked at all of the ponies that screamed so excitedly.

She heard the subjects perfectly as they screamed her older sister's name so loudly, but she could not recognize Celestia as the mare in the flags. "Celestia? Why do We have the feeling this ist something like... the future...?"

She looked up at the image on the flags, noting again that only 'Celestia' was printed on them. With both the sun and the moon at her sides, at that. "Wait. Just... Just Celestia...?"

She walked through the crowd, observing every pony that she laid eyes on. "They art all saying our sister's name. But... What about ours...?"

Sombra's eyes glowed white as he cast a spell to manipulate a pony near Luna. "Hey, kid, move out of the way. Taking my spot here."

The shadowy unicorn expanded the spell to ensure that nopony could hear or mind Luna.

"What? Wait. Who dost thou thinkest We art?! How darest thou speak to us in this manner, it ist not appropriate!" She glared at the ponies. "We demand an explanation. What ist this, all of a sudden...?!"

Her wings fluttered and lifted her ever so slightly as she grew frustrated while trying to get their attention.

"Answereth us!" She looked up at the crowd of ponies, who were all much older than she was. But their age did not give them the right to ignore their princess. She would make it very clear to them. She took a deep breath as she stepped forward.

**"THY PRINCESS DEMANDEST THINE ATTENTION!"** She called out to all of them in what would be known as the booming Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice.

Sombra reinforced his spell as he manipulated the ponies again. That time, the crowd boomed an exuberantly loud cheer. **_"All hail Celestia, our one and only ruler!"_**

Luna opened her eyes a bit wider with surprise and shock. "What... What ist this...?!" She looked at them desperate and sadly. "Why...? Why would..." Her eyes started to fill with tears. She shut them close and tried to composed herself, to no avail. "Stop this! Stop all of this! It ist wrong! We rule together! Our sister and us! Stop this!"

She whimpered a bit, then frowned as her horn started to glow. "Show... Show thyself..." she practically hissed. Her irises glowed a bit as her magic powered up from her anger, fear and sadness, instead of weakening with those emotions.

She still could not believe what she saw. It had to be somepony else's work. She would draw that somepony else out and make them stop whatever it was they were doing.

**"SHOW THYSELF!"** Her magic was unleashed upon the scene before her.

The shadow silhouette pony appeared in front of the whole parade. The rest of the ponies stood paralyzed as he stopped some of the illusion to focus on Luna.

Luna frowned as her tormentor finally showed himself before her. "Thou art-"

Sombra bowed his head, then looked at her again, with a smile on his face. "Princess Luna, Thy Highness... Why deny the truth? Only by embracing it couldst thou truly see through the mirage that thou livest in."

"Who art thou?!" She lowered her head to keep her horn ready in case he attempted anything. She did not like at all that he did not comply to any of her demands.

Sombra motioned to himself after he bowed in a respectful reverence. "A ruler from a distant land. We have come to thine aid, in this dark moment..."

Luna looked down at him with surprise as he suddenly bowed before her. "What-"

He smiled up at her as his brilliant scarlet eyes glowed just slightly. "...Our dear queen."

"Queen? What art thou talking about? We... Celestia and I rule together. We wilt rule together over this land. That ist the way it wast decided. And We art still training." She shook her head and glared at the scene before her. "This ist not real. We order thee to stop at once!" She turned her glare back at him.

Sombra chuckled as he walked around Luna. "Oh, it ist not real? Then We suppose every subject of thine must love the beautiful night thou givest to them. They probably play and work during the night, being ever grateful to their night ruler... Oh, but that ist right, they do not. They art not grateful at all. Instead, they spend their time sleeping and resting, as they see very little use for the night."

Luna looked as though she would protest, but Sombra continued to speak without looking at her.

"That ist why thine image ist not there, in those flags, and why thy name ist not called by all those ungrateful subjects. Thist ist not an illusion, princess, this ist real. As real as those ponies that neglect thy beautiful night, all of them. Art We wrong?"

Luna felt hurt for a second, but she composed herself. "What dost thou want?! We wilt not allow thee to speak ill of us, or our subjects for that matter! Thou knowest nothing of us!"

Sombra moved around her as he spoke. "We want what thou wantest, dear Queen. The rightful title as ruler of the land ist thine, why not take it? While thou workest hard to remain vigilant of the night, thy sister merely enjoys each of her precious days to play around in all her gathered company."

"But Celestia-" She jumped a bit as he leaned closer to her and stared right into her eyes.

He spoke softly as she scowled at him and tried to get away. "From where We see it, thou shouldst be the true ruler. Wouldst thou not like that?"

She took a deep breath to try and remain calm as she had been taught. _Observe thy surroundings carefully... Do not be fooled by the enemy's tricks. No matter what they might say to make their act believable, We must not fall._

She glared back at the shadow pony. "This ist an illusion. Nothing but a dream."

Sombra chuckled and shook his head. "Once again... No. This ist neither a dream nor an illusion. This ist a vision of what could be. A fair warning, if thou wilt. This injustice towards thee We cannot tolerate, and have come to ammend it rightfully. Thy rule was meant to be, our queen."

They now stood in the balcony of the throne room.

He watched as Luna sat over geese-feathered pillows, with servants surrounding her, tending to her every need and call.

Below her stood a crowd of ponies that had gathered from all across the land. An enormous garrison of soldiers guarded the palace. They wore shining silver and violet armors that held a new crest. The guards and subjects all saluted different flags; ones with the Moon Princess' image printed on it.

The image on the flags was of her standing in between the sun and the moon, all on her own, instead of Celestia.

The chant of the crowd was loud and clear. _"All hail Luna! All hail Luna!"_

She looked down at the crowd, frowning. "But... But this..."

"Feels right, dost it not?" Sombra stood behind her with a wicked grin on his face. He looked down at the crowd of adoring ponies. "They now worship their rightful ruler, our queen. Thou hast finally gained thy rightful place, both in the throne and in their minds. Thou shalt be what all these ponies think of and love. Thine older sister never worked half as hard as thee to earn all the appreciation that thine subjects showed her. She dost not deserve it, it ist wrong. Now all shall be fixed. Rewards wilt come to those who deserve them."

Luna turned away from the vision. She confronted Sombra again. "But it ist wrong. Celestia and I rule together, dost thou not understand? That ist the way it ist meant to be, that ist why we both trained!"

"And yet only _she_ wilt be remembered. After all... Who would remember a princess that decided to live in her sister's shadow?"

Luna gasped and backed away as Sombra walked towards her and continued his hurtful speech. "N-No..."

"Perhaps when ponyfolk begin to address thy presence as 'Celestia's little sister' thou wilt realize her superior position." He moved to her left ear and whispered to her. "Tell us, who wouldst she choose? If the moment came, and the choice between thee or the throne had to be made, who would it be? Dost thou truly believest that she cares for thee so much, enough to abandon her seat?"

He patted her head as she shivered just the slightest bit. "Maybe it ist easy for her to treat thee kindly, because she sees no challenge, no threat in thee. Thus, there ist no need to be harsh and impolite towards the little sister."

She did not respond as she stared at the floor. His words sank in and she could not help it, they were filled with so much cruelty... It all seemed so real and possible...

_No, it ist not. We must remember that, this ist not the truth. Do not be fooled, keep thy mind clear._

"Thou knowest it could be possible, our queen. Perhaps she already sees a future where thou remainest below her..." He hissed with anger. "Controlled, as she wants thee to be..."

She took another deep breath to level herself. "This... ist not real. It ist wrong. Thou wilt not deceive us, whoever thou art."

Sombra raised an eyebrow as she smiled a bit.

"We wilt find a way out of this. It ist only a spell of thine that We can definitely break!" She smiled a little and closed her eyes to concentrate.

She tried to find logic, to remember things that would help. She had been reviewing a book on her bed, in her room. She had fallen asleep, it all was most certainly a dream. It would not be difficult at all, to cancel out his spell... She just had to think like that, to have confidence in her-

Sombra roared and let out a loud, dark laugh.

~~~

The palace and everything else around them vanished. It all became nothing but a black room with a pale light at the center.

Luna stood at the room's edge, accompanied only by an oval mirror placed in the center, below the light. She sighed as she tried to look around her. "Now what...?"

A dark voice whispered to her. _"Come close to the mirror, and face your fate."_

Though Luna could not see the voice, she snapped at it nonetheless. "We do not care about that. We wilt end this, there ist no need for us to be tormented by-" She was cut off as the mirror in front of her glowed.

_"Hm. Was I this pathetic before? No wonder our banishment came to us with such ease,"_ a female cocky voice echoed through the room.

Luna tried to locate the voice, for she heard it everywhere in the dark, small place. "Who ist that?"

_"I'm over here, idiot,"_ the voice spoke again. As the echo died, Luna noticed that it came from the mirror itself. The mirror flashed with light every time that the cold sound emerged from it.

Luna stepped closer to the mirror. She seemed annoyed, but also frightened, though she tried to hide it. "When ist this going to end...?"

As she stepped right in front of the mirror, she saw her own reflection staring back at her. She raised an eyebrow. "But... This ist..."

Her reflection smirked. "Not surprising? Just you wait." She laughed a little as a swirl of blue magic surrounded her and startled Luna as it took a new form.

A tall alicorn mare stood before her, in place of her reflection. Her coat was a very dark cerulean that looked nearly black. Her blue mane flowed around her body, surrounded by a glowing light violet aura.

She wore light blue armor, hoof plates, and a helmet that sparkled as she moved.

Her cyan, slit-pupiled eyes were fixed upon Luna with a glare full of contempt and pity. "Hm. To think I came from you. So sad."

"Thou art..." Luna's eyes widened slightly as she stepped back just a bit.

"Nightmare Moon! Ruler of the Night, rightful owner of the throne!" She gazed into Luna's eyes and laughed. "What is it, little one? Scared?" She smirked, leaning closer to Luna. "You should be."

Luna got serious. She lowered her body as she crouched slightly in a cautious pose. "Why?"

"Why? Because I am all you feared to be! I am your hatred, jealousy, and power combined. **THE TRUE FORM!**" Her yell echoed loudly within the room.

Luna braced herself from the volume of the reflection's voice. She shivered a bit. "Just... What dost thou want?! We... We refuse to believe thee, We do not want anything to do with thee or anything else!" She looked away from the mirror to speak to Sombra, whom she still could not see. "Let us go!"

Nightmare Moon's mane burst out of the mirror and grasped Luna by her neck, suffocating her. Her expression was full of anger and loath. "Have you any idea what I suffered because of your weakness?! You are the reason she took the throne and BANISHED ME!"

Sombra watched from above. He smiled a bit as as Nightmare Moon yelled at Luna and frightened her further. "Incredible what a drop of evil can do to her heart. This seed wilt awaken in time, We art sure..."

Luna grunted and screamed a bit. As she cried, her eyes glowed white. She unleashed her magic energy soon after that.

~~~

Meanwhile, Celestia tried to contain Luna, who had been acting strange, as described by the servants at the palace that had been working close to her room. She screamed and walked around in her sleep, and at that moment was about to unleash an amount of magic that could be dangerous.

"Luna! Luna! Luna, wake up! What's wrong?! Stop this!" Celestia called out to her sister loudly. She bracing herself against the magic energy and tried to cancel the spell with her own magic

Sombra's voice echoed in Luna's mind. _"Darkness wilt come again, Queen Luna. Embrace it."_ With that, he vanished out of Luna's dreams and was on his way back to the Crystal Empire.

Luna collapsed to the side as Celestia rushed over to her. Her sister's magic aura had disappeared from around her body immediately. "Ngh..."

"Luna! What happened? Are you alright?" She knelt beside her and tried to help her up. "Luna, answer me."

"W-What...? What happened?"

Celestia sighed and shook her head as she patted Luna's. She spoke in the formal way to make Luna feel better and comforted. "Thou wert acting very strange, Luna. Had us worried. Dost thou feel better now?"

Luna shivered a bit as she panted slightly. "Y-Yes... We believe so..." She stood up and looked at Celestia.

She couldn't help it. She immediately back of the nightmare had. Everything in her dream had put Celestia in doubt before her... Everything had seemed so cruel... "Oh, sister...!"

Celestia blinked and looked down at Luna with surprise as the pre-adolescent filly immediately jumped and hugged her. "Luna..."

"E-Everything... It wast... Sister, it wast frightening, We... We art so sorry!" She continued to cry on Celestia's chest as she hugged her tighter.

Celestia smiled and patted her head again. "There, there, little one. It was just a nightmare. Do not worry, I'll always be here to drive them away."

_We... We art afraid thou wilt not be enough... We art sorry, but thy presence just wilt not be enough... What art We to do, sister...?!_ She shut her eyes closed and nuzzled against Celestia.

"Let's go put you back to bed, okay? You need to rest..."

Luna clung to her. "N-No, sister! We do not-"

"It will be fine, little sister. I will be with you until you fall asleep."

"B-But what... What if the nightmares come back?" Luna looked up at her as her eyes teared up again. She shook her head. "We do not want to go to sleep again!"

Luna had always been rather sensitive to nightmares, Celestia knew it. They always seemed to be more realistic than anypony else's, for some reason. She would not dismiss her little sister's worries, even over her duties. She still had plenty of time to tend to Luna's needs.

"I will be right beside you to drive them away. I might not be in your room all the time, Luna, but I will be here at the palace. All you need is call for me and I will be right over, ready to make you feel better. Okay? Does that work for you?"

Luna looked down and nodded. She still felt quite scared and doubtful.

She wished with all her heart that her sister's kind words and presence were enough. Those despicable, ungrateful feelings in her subconscious were more than the little princess could bear, and she felt only shame and loath towards herself.

Those wretched emotions shunned and hated her sister to no end, frightening even Luna herself. Yet there she was, shamelessly clinging to Celestia's warmth and comfort. As she took refuge in the Sun Princess that her nightmares spoke so ill of, the Night Princess felt even smaller and more pathetic.

In the end, nothing would change. Celestia would not be able to save her from her nightmares, and neither would she, even though those bad dreams were her own. No one would take her away from the hopeless darkness that she felt when she looked at her beloved sister.

The darkness haunted Luna and would never let her rest. She was plagued by the horrible fear of losing the only light in her life, to her own negative emotions.

That fear grew closer again and again. It gripped her as much as the nightmares against which she struggled. There was no hope for anypony to save her, she knew that.

Instead, Princess Luna would carry her burden day and night. She would be subject to its torture nearly every time she slept.

Celestia tucked Luna in her bed and made sure she was comfortable. "There. Remember, I will come back as soon as you need me, little sister." She smiled warmly at her before stepping away from the room. She left the door just slightly open.

"Sister..." Luna's eyes filled with tears as she turned over in her bed. She tried to fill her head with the duties that would await her during night, hoping that all those busy thoughts would distract her and help her sleep peacefully.

She sighed, wiping her tears away. _It ist so hopeless and... unlike us... But... There ist nothing else to do... No one else can help us, sister. Not even... Not even thou can. We love thee, but... These darkness ist after thee, it shalt only endanger thee... We cannot allow thee to interfere and get hurt... It ist our problem alone..._

* * *

Third chapter, yay! Luna kind of meets Sombra here, who in turn introduces her to Nightmare Moon for the first time. That shady Sombra... And... I'm not very content with him here. I feel like he made an appearance way too suddenly, out of nowhere. Maybe I should have introduced him earlier... But I have no idea how to go about that.

Eh, little Luna came a bit too emo at the end, probably... But she's desperate and frightened! Who wouldn't be, after going through those nightmares so often, right? Poor young Luna... She's still a child, she doesn't deserve to go through those things! I want to show Sombra a thing or two right now.

ARCHAIC SPEECH! It's fascinating, but UGH! I _hope_ I got it right this time. Better than before this was updated, at the very least. Please give me your opinion at least in that, I want to make sure I'm on the right track. I mean, I want to make young Luna accurate in her way of speech, but I don't want her sounding like an idiot with grammatical errors (and me, while we're at it, since I'm the one responsible for her speech, as well as the other 99% of the events and stuff that occur here).


	4. Strange Games That Bewilder

**Strange Games That Bewilder**

The mismatched creature sighed as he flew around the palace grounds. "I wonder what's taking her so long..." He looked around for the princesses that he had become more familiar with. He raised an eyebrow when he did not find either of them.

He had followed Celestia when she rushed back to the palace, though she had given him no satisfying explanation as to why she was in such a hurry. All she had done was talk to a messenger when he approached her, then rush off.

"Well, this is boring... Maybe I should go look for her inside."

He was about to teleport inside the palace, but decided against it. He had already caused plenty of amusing trouble through the gardens, so much that the ponies that had to walk by gave him glares and annoyed looks.

He laughed a bit as the gardeners mumbled and avoided him. "C'mon, you gotta admit it was funny! Until Celestia made me change everything back to normal..."

So he stayed in the grounds, thinking of what to do that did not include turning his surroundings into different, odd creations. That would get him in trouble that he did not feel like dealing with it. He just wanted Celestia to get back out so they could do something fun again.

"Hm... What to do, what to-got it!"

He floated over to some guards and frowned as he watched them. "Well, they look so serious... We should fix that!" He snickered a bit and decided to try a new trick that he had come up with. "This will be good..." As he lowered down to the wary guards, his eyes started to glow. "Well, hello there..."

~~~

Celestia looked at Luna as they walked down the path to the gardens together. "It was very strange, Luna. I had never seen you do that before."

The young mare looked down nervously. "We... We just had a nightmare, that ist all, sister."

"But you were so frightened... Oh, I suppose that was nothing, either?"

"Th-Thou knowest how we get with a nightmare, Celestia... R-Really, thou dost not need to worry so much. Instead, we should get to work, since we art both awake and ready for our duties. We cannot believe so many hours hath already passed..."

Celestia smiled and chuckled. "Well, you did take a long nap, so that helps. I am glad you are okay now." She patted Luna's head. Then she blinked and gasped a little, as if she had forgotten something.

"What ist the matter?"

"I forgot... He's still waiting... Oh, dear, I hope he did not get impatient and started again..."

Luna frowned and raised an eyebrow at Celestia. "Celestia, what art thou talking about? What dost thou meaneth with-"

"I don't have time to explain, Luna. I have to find a... guest, that I was entertaining and keeping in line until, well, until this incident occurred. Who knows what he might do if I don't find him soon..." She chuckled a bit. "Oh, he is quite a hooffull."

"But, sister, who art-" Luna saw her sister leave before she could finish her question. She sighed. "Dear... As if that creature from last night wast not enough..."

She walked down the garden as she thought about what Celestia had said before she left. She suddenly got an idea. "N-No... She... She could not have meant..."

Faint noises came from the side garden. She turned around and sure enough, she found the creature that had so unnerved her the night before.

He laughed to himself as he played chess... with himself, it appeared.

His body was divided in half, and the lower half floated along with the top and the chessboard. It appeared to be a good opponent for the top half. The pieces for the game, Luna discovered, were a group of royal guards that moved slowly and remained still, with an absent expression, which was not a normal reaction if one was in such a strange situation.

"What?!" _How didst thou come across_ him, _Celestia?!_

His upper half stood in a thinking position. His lower half motioned its feet from across the board. The guards clumsily moved to its command. They hardly uttered a sound as they stood quite still once they reached the destined tile.

Luna huffed a bit and made her way to him. She scowled up at him and cleared her throat.

He put a paw over his mouth as he thought. "Hm... Nice one. Maybe I should move there instead..."

Luna glared at him. "Creature! Mind thy manners! As long as thou remainest in this land, thou shalt address thy princess at once!"

He moved an ear as he heard Luna's annoyed lecture. Then he smiled smiling when he saw her. Once again, he completely ignored Luna's scolding. "Why hello, Luna! Care to join us?" He snapped his fingers and the board became a triangle, with six royal guards on each side.

She narrowed her eyes. "It ist 'Princess Luna', for thine information. Thou knowest this very well!"

"Ah, well. It's kind of a mouthful. And I guess I just love seeing you get all worked up like that." He snickered and moved one of his pieces.

"Hrrm..." She took a deep breath and chose to ignore his taunting. _Calm thyself. Do not let thy composure slip away before..._ She trailed off in her thoughts as she looked at the board and the guards.

She was suddenly upset by the guards' irresponsibility, once she noticed it again. "What... What art thou doing? Back to thy duties! It ist not thy place to play around like this! Return to thy guard!"

The guards could not obey due to the spell. They remained standing on the board, with green swirls in their eyes. Only a few moved, and only when they were commanded to. They stared off into the distance with a vacant look. She saw that some of the guards even nodded off, while the eyes of other guards drooped.

She growled a bit and clopped her hooves on the ground, then made several noises to try to startle them into alertness. "Guards!" She glared at them when all they did was move to the tiles they were directed to.

The playful creature looked at Luna as she tried to get the guards to return to their duties. Then he glanced back at what he saw now simply as his game pieces.

"Oh, were these your toys? I didn't know... Oops! Don't worry, Luna, just borrowed them for a minute to play with them. Hope you don't mind." He floated in the air with a grin on his face as he watched the filly fall for his taunting game once again.

"How darest-they art not toys. These stallions art our guards! We wilt not tolerate this mockery of-"

He put a paw on her head to stop her. "Hey, hey, you need to cool off. C'mon! Play with us and let out a little steam." He grinned again and leaned closer to her. "Or perhaps we should just play together again~"

Luna stepped away from him. "Never! We shan't be humiliated once again by thine..." She looked at the board in general, noticing its strangeness.

She was unnerved by it. It was so out of place, so disorderly, so inappropriate... "Just..." She sighed. "How dost thou managest to _do_ these things...?"

He smirked and laughed. "Oh, Luna, you're too curious. I don't even have a name, now you want to know how I possess these awesome talents?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Yes, We do."

"Oh." He sighed and started to think. "Well... I don't know." He pointed at the board as his lower half tapped her shoulder. "So, will you move first or should I?"

"How dost this... work?" She had played chess before, but never in that format. She would apparently play against... two opponents...

He blinked and scratched his head. "Ehm... I HAVE NO IDEA!" He laughed loudly at his own remark.

She looked up at him, a bit startled with his laugh. She could not outdo her curiosity, which he did manage to manipulate so masterfully... She hated it. "...Maketh sure that it ist a fast round."

He still thought about the rules of his absurd game, and seemed quite amused at it, too. "No, really, I've been out here for an hour trying to figure out what I'm playing. Your soldiers don't help much, with them hypnotized and all."

He filed the soldiers into one line and made them stand on each other's shoulders to form a pyramid. "How do you play with them, Luna?"

She looked at him in a surprised manner. She had never met anypony that could use mind-controlling magic so easily. "Hyp-Hypnotized... That magic ist..." She cleared her throat. "We do not play with them! They art members of the honorable and mighty royal guard! They guard us! They-"

A small blush came to her cheeks when a few of the guards snored loudly. "Wh-What-"

He laughed at the guards that had fallen deeply asleep. "Aww, how cute! Taking a nap already?"

"Thou exhausted their minds!"

"I can make them do things while they're sleeping!"

Luna raised a hoof to her face. "This ist ridiculous..."

"Guard... As in... 'protect' you?" He snickered and snapped his fingers. "They're not very good at it, are they?" He made the soldiers that were still awake, under his trance, clap hooves with each other like little fillies. He even made them smile and giggle.

"How... dost thou maketh them do that? We mean... They would not do it otherwise..." She felt rather embarrassed at the guards' behavior. "Alright. Snap out of it, now! Wake up!"

The filly's solemn attitude was thoroughly enjoyable. It was quite different from Celestia's, hilarious in a much different way. Celestia was very fun as far as he'd experienced. She seemed to embrace his magic and creations much better than Luna did. But it was Luna's seriousness, frustration, and temper when he pushed her buttons that made it all worthwhile.

He loved tough nuts to crack, and Luna was by far the toughest he had ever encountered. Or most serious, rather. Ah, how he loved challenges.

"Say, how 'bout another game?" He disappeared the board, but the guards continued to play and sleep on the grassy ground. "If you free them from their spell, you can have your toys back. What do you say?"

"A spell... Of course." She sighed and rubbed her head. "Dost thou always think of games?"

"It makes my questionable existence more tolerable, so yeah." He rejoined his body, stretching a bit. "Tell me, are you _always_ this boring and serious?" He nudged her slightly, as if the things that he had called out on her were visible objects on her person.

"Well, We..." She blushed again and looked aside shyly. "We art not seen this way by others. We art considered attentive to..." She suddenly remembered her nightmare. "To our... To our kingdom. As in, our sister Celestia's and our, kingdom." That was more of an affirmation to herself than to him.

"Hm, that's a funny way to put it. She seems to enjoy a good laugh now and then." He floated around the soldiers. "I guess that's why she's the popular one amongst the ponyfolk. Don't you guys think so?"

The guard ponies did not look away from what they did as they slowly nodded their heads. They kept their faces blank, but nodded as he commanded them to.

"Just a thought, y'know. Even sleepy guard toys seem to think so." He shrugged.

"...Please do not say that. We art as dedicated to the wellbeing of the ponies as she ist. We love them and care for them just as she does. She watches over them during the day, We do during the night. It ist balanced."

She gave him an indignant look. "Some creature that recently arrived to this land would not understand." Before he could say anything to her, Luna walked away with her sad gaze fixed upon the ground.

He scratched his head again as he watched her leave. "Hm. What's gotten into her? Oh well..."

He flew back to the Everfree Forest, to think of new ideas to create. He chuckled and wondered if the princesses would enjoy what he created, were they to see it.

He left the royal guards behind in their trance, though put them all under a deep sleep with a flick of his tail. "You guys deserve some rest, but be around when I wanna play with you again!"

Celestia cleared her throat once she approached him before he went very far. "While I do not mind you doing... whatever it is that you do... Don't you think you could clean up your mess before you leave? It is not good to leave messy things about." She looked up at him expectantly.

"Ah, Celestia! A sight for sore eyes. Luna seemed to be in a rather depressive mood. I just saw her, she was simply boring, more than she was last night, if that's possible. You'd know better than me about that. But ugh! Awfully boring and dull, I tell you. No way to talk to her."

"What do you mean? Oh... Don't tell me she still _is_ upset because of those nightmares..." She looked at him worriedly as he stretched in the air. "Did she say anything that sounded concerning? I would not want her to doubt her abilities, if she ever-"

"Hey, look at this, Celestia!" Her new, odd friend cut her off with feats of his magic that were completely irrelevant to her concerns. He twirled an ice-cream cone as he inverted it, making the cone out of ice-cream and the contents of wafers. If that was not strange enough, the wafer balls glowed and changed colors. "Mmm... Pretty neat, huh?

Celestia rolled her eyes at his interruption. _You have a one-track mind, don't you...?_

"Ohhh, and this, too!"

_Or perhaps the attention span of a goldfish..._

He snapped his tail again. He made the guards wake up and sit on their flanks without stretching or even yawning. Though they still seemed completely unaware of their surroundings, they suddenly acted like dogs, wagging their tails, sticking out their tongues.

"I think I've done an excellent job training them. They can even use the potty now." He let out a slight snicker.

She raised an eyebrow as she watched the performance. "Please just leave them alone. It is something to alter inanimate objects, but taking somepony's free will to use them as puppets is another..." She scooted back as one of the guard stallions barked and crouched playfully. "...much more serious thing. Which I do not approve of, by the way."

He looked back at her as he patted the head of another guard. "What?"

"We have limits here, remember? Mind-control is covered by them." She stepped closer to him once he set the guards aside. "Now, about my sister... She _did_ act strange before she woke up. She sleepwalked and even used her magic. She says it was a nightmare, but she remained jumpy for a few hours after that, and just seemed so worried... I hope she feels better soon..."

"Oh, come now, Celestia. You worry too much over nothing." He snapped his fingers and appeared a chew toy. He threw it over inside the palace and watched the guards bark and chase after it.

"See? Why not laugh with the moment? I advised Luna to do so, but she simply wouldn't budge. That filly has too much in her head for such a young age and her own good."

_That's what I am talking about..._ "Well, we _do_ rule over a potential kingdom, Wilder. We have to be responsible and think of the citizens that will be part of it."

She chuckled a bit and gave him an amused expression. "Wilder. From 'bewilder', or 'bewilderment'. Some of the things you do are pretty confusing to say the least. Maybe it is not the best thought I have had, but I think for now it can do as a name. Better than nothing to go by."

"Hm. 'Wilder', eh?" He separated his head and floated it next to Celestia's. "I love it! It's got a catch to it."

She laughed a bit as she looked at his head. "I'm glad you like it, my friend."

He joined his head with his body again. "Come. Let's go look for Luna and convince her to play around with us for a bit longer. She can't sulk on her own all the time!"

She nodded and opened her wings. "Very well." She flew after him, laughing occasionally when he came up with other antics on their way through the forest.

* * *

Archaic speech is great, but a bit confusing to apply correctly, if you're not used to it... Anyway! Fourth chapter! I don't have much to do and am bored, so I'm keeping myself busy with this.

Another bit of slight interaction between the princesses and Discord, who had no name until this chapter. Celestia named him 'Wilder'! I think that's a great name. I couldn't come up with anything else that described his whole weird, fun character. So I thought of the word 'bewilderment'. Eh, it fits. This name will become a significant part of the story, I consider (minor spoiler).

In my opinion, it was a bit short. Maybe I'm not doing such a good job in dividing the RP into chapters. Ugh, so tired...


	5. Runaway Crystal Feathers

**Runaway Crystal Feathers**

The shadow that was King Sombra drifted through the wind, until he approached a kingdom that was located a very long distance away from the land of the princesses.

Though it had a beautiful crystal structure, he completely disregarded the wonderful architecture and allowed his dark aura to even destroy some of the buildings, if only to terrorize the civilians that had been standing by the store. He loved to torment them every day and night.

The entire land suffered terrible mistreatment at the hooves of their ruler. He kept all the ponies imprisoned and enslaved for his benefit, and if that was not enough, he exhausted them with his terrorizing antics.

The land of crystals that the king ruled had once been beautiful unlike any other, and his subjects were the most special of all. The ponies from the kingdom were unique, quite unlike any other pony in the world.

That was because the ponies from the land known as the Crystal Empire were born with crystal coats and manes that at one time had glowed beautifully, but became dull since Sombra became king.

He did not care much for their peculiar build and their unhappiness-he completely ignored it and trampled them down with his ceaseless demands and orders. The king had controlled the land with a tyrant hoof for centuries, giving none of them a glimmer of hope for better days.

Many had tried to leave the Crystal Empire behind, but they had all failed. They had been injured or morally broken, they gave up in the end.

But at that moment, as the sun slipped further into the gray sky that hung over the kingdom, one pony still tried his best to escape, after numerous failed attempts.

His coat was light red and had a dull sparkle to it. He had a dark mane, and gray eyes. He was a rather young pegasus pony.

That time, however, he would try to escape the kingdom without his wings. _It wilt still be as difficult as ever, but... Getting away should be a bit more possible to achieve by hoof than by flying... He would notice an airborne pegasus right away..._

~~~

A thunderous roar sounded through the kingdom. Its tyrant ruler had returned from his mission in Canterlot. He manifested over his palace's balcony in physical form and eyed down his prisoner subjects with a malicious grin as they bowed to him. "...Where ist he...?" He whispered to himself.

~~~

The pegasus pony gasped and ran faster, over soft ground so he would not make noises with his hooves. "I have to get out of here..." He whispered to himself. "I have to help the others...!"

~~~

Sombra screamed at the subjects. "Where ist that pegasus?!" He searched around for his personal servant. He roared when he saw that he was not present anywhere that the servants were supposed to be. He turned into his shadow form and started searching for him all over the Empire.

~~~

The runaway pony whimpered. He ran non-stop, even though he grew exhausted. "Oh, where do I go...?!"

He did not dare use his wings, in fear that he could still be found and captured. He panted as he looked over the tall mountains that stood ahead. The distance that divided him from them grew shorter the faster he ran.

"M-Maybe I could hide there..." He cringed as he heard Sombra's frightening roar. "O-Oh, no...!" He ran into the mountains as fast as he would ever run, frightened for his life more than he had ever been.

He did not leave the mountains' safety until some hours passed, and he could feel safe again.

~~~

Sombra returned to his palace balcony, infuriated. All the ponies below him trembled in fear. "No other stupid pony shalt mock us again!" His eyes glowed white as his horn blasted a red, dark spell over the whole kingdom that covered it in a transparent shield.

It disabled entrance and exit to all except the King. After that, blasts of dark thunder fell on the ponies. The magic did not hurt the slave subjects, but dark chains and appeared around their necks and hooves.

The shadow pony let out a frightening laugh as he returned to his chambers. "Thy little friend's escapade wilt cost thee greatly. Thou shalt work all of tonight, and all of tomorrow morning!" He roared at them as he saw the terror and fatigue in the ponies' faces.

He coldly turned away from them without paying their cries and sorrow much mind.

~~~

The red pegasus stared at the now cursed kingdom. "Oh no..." He lowered his head with sorrow as he imagined the pain and torment that his comrades and ponyfolk were going through. All because of him...

"No... This... Why ist this happening...?! What did we do to deserve this...?!" He did not dare look over his shoulder at the land that he had escaped. He could not. It appeared as though he had abandoned them, leaving behind only more troubles for them...

He gasped and shook his head quickly. "Th-That ist not... No! I-It ist not right, I..." He let out a breath to calm down. "I escaped so that I could find help. That ist the true reason. I do care for them. I am not doing this for myself, it ist for them! ...Please forgive me, everypony... I wilt help thee, I promise..."

The pegasus closed his eyes as he walked. He was still a bit shaky, but continued his path nonetheless. "I have to get help..." He opened his wings and began to fly, hidden by the dense fog of the mountains.

* * *

Wilder flew next to Celestia as they ventured together through the Everfree Forest.

"Now, where could she possibly be?" He did not sound very concerned, he was in fact already bored from the search. They still had not found Luna, or figured out the place where the younger princess could have wandered off to.

Even Celestia, who supposedly knew her better than anypony, could not lead them to a place where they actually spotted Luna anywhere.

She sighed as she looked down at the dark area beneath them. Even during the day, the Everfree Forest had always been pretty shadowy and dark. Luna loved it, and Celestia herself did not mind it, but she obviously preferred other places in the land.

"Probably somewhere within this forest, she really enjoys spending time to herself here. She has done that since she was a younger filly. Our parents and teachers did not object with her practice. In fact, they agreed with it. Sometimes I do it, too."

Wilder sighed and rolled his eyes. "I think it would be best if she simply lightened up a little. Laughter is never bad."

From the distance, he could feel the presence of another pony. He spotted a flying pegasus shortly after. "Hey, I think I see her over there!" He pulled out a cardboard sign with a pointing hand that aimed forward.

She squinted her eyes to see ahead. "That... Wait, that does not look like Luna..." She gasped as the pegasus fell to the ground. "We have to go help!"

Wilder raised an eyebrow, then followed Celestia as she rushed towards the fallen pegasus. As they arrived, he got closer to the colt and poked him. "Hm... Hey, is it normal for a pony's body to be cold?"

Celestia looked at the pegasus pony with worry. She looked up as Luna approached. "Ah, there you are. Just in time."

"Thou saw him too..." Luna muttered as she noticed Celestia and Wilder before she looked at the pegasus. "This ist no ordinary pegasus pony..." She noticed the dull sparkle of his coat.

Celestia leaned down towards the pegasus to observe him better. "I have heard about ponies like this... I believe they are from a land called the Crystal Empire... Already more civilized than this land is. I'm surprised they are actually... real."

Luna looked at Celestia. "He ist not in good shape. Sister, we mist take him to the palace. The doctors-"

The pegasus groaned and opened his eyes. "Ngh..." He looked up and gasped when he saw the three strangers before him, then quickly scooted away from them.

Celestia waved her hoof a bit and spoke to the pegasus calmly. "Relax, friend. We are not going to hurt you. It is alright."

The pegasus shivered a bit as he turned to look at all three of them. He scooted back as quickly as he could. "Wh-Who art thou?!" His voice rose a bit out of fear, and he breathed heavily. At that point, he was not sure whether he could trust those strangers, but... At least two of them seemed like they could be relied upon...

"Wow, talk about scaredy-cat with a capital S. My name is Wilder." He presented himself as he summoned a couch, which he sat on.

Celestia smiled as she looked down at the colt. Though she sounded a bit younger than him, she was actually a bit taller than he was. "I am Princess Celestia, and this is my younger sister, Luna."

Luna did a brief curtsy before proceeding to question the outsider. "Whence camest thou, stranger?" Her voice was as serious and businesslike as ever.

"I... I came from, from the Crystal Empire... I-I barely made it out of there... King Sombra..." He shivered again and covered his head with his hooves for a few seconds before he composed himself.

Celestia patted his back. "There, there, calm down... Come with us. You need help and we'll be glad to do so. I will call for some guards to come assist, you must be too exhausted to fly."

Luna looked over her shoulder at the sky. "The time to raise the moon ist coming. We must go, sister."

Celestia looked at Luna as the pegasus stood up, though he still shook slightly. "It is okay, Luna. You may go and raise the sun. We will be alright here."

Luna nodded and flew off.

Wilder glanced at Celestia, then smirked a bit as they started to walk. "You know, it's none of my business. But if you two are princesses, does that mean this King Sombra guy is your father?" He snapped his fingers and made his puppy-royal guards appear to assist them.

Celestia frowned at his question. "Of course not! We are not relatives of his, especially with all the evil that has been told about him. We would never be related to that. Our parents were completely different royals. The King that raised the Sun and the Queen that raised the Moon. They were not relatives of Sombra's, either. To be honest, I do not think he has any relatives."

"Phew! That's a relief. You really don't strike me as the type with connections to a guy like him."

Celestia gave him a dull look. _"Really?"_

Wilder ignored her sarcastic remark as the royal pup guards lifted the pegasus, despite the pony's weak protests, embarrassment, and the puzzled looks that he gave to the guards. "Well, let's take this one back to the palace. I'm just as curious about him as you are."

Celestia nodded and walked towards the guards. Before she got very far, she stopped and looked at Wilder again. "Thank you for helping. It is quite considerate of you."

"You could say that..." He floated next to the pegasus, smirking as he watched him. "_Or,_ maybe I'm just really interested in how he got his candy skin."

They appeared inside the palace. Wilder continued to study the pegasus pony that the guards carried. He ignored the fact that it made him uncomfortable.

"Um... E-Excuse me..." He stammered and looked away when Wilder floated closer. "Nnhh..."

Celestia stepped closer to the two. "Oh, please do not mind him. Wilder does all sorts of odd stuff in order to have some fun. Do you not, Wilder?"

Wilder chuckled. "I'd say he's one of the most interesting ponies I've met so far! Mainly because of his candy skin, really. I'd like to know how he-"

"Enough, Wilder, our guest needs his rest. Please have him taken to the infirmary."

Wilder sighed and waved his paw so that the guards obeyed his command.

Celestia shook her head. _He really needs to release them from that spell already..._ She frowned a bit and looked at Wilder. "Candy skin? It does not really look like that..."

"You're right, more like... dull diamonds. But I've never really been a fan of those..." Wilder floated beside Celestia as they walked down the hall. He looked around the palace as they chatted.

"Do you like it, Wilder?"

"Hm. This place is very big, isn't it? But very dull, too. Boring... Why do you keep such big places if you're going to make them boring?"

She chuckled and shook her head slightly. "Are you hungry, Wilder? I could have something prepared for you. It is dinner time, after all."

"Don't worry, I already ate." He floated up to the large windows of the palace. "I must say, these have some delectable glass frames." He appeared a small piece of colored glass, which held the face of a pony, and swallowed it.

Celestia blinked as he watched him. "You can... eat glass?" She did not sound very surprised, though. She figured that would be something normal for him to do, considering all the oddities that she had witnessed from him so far.

"Care for a piece?" He pulled another piece, one with a bearded pony painted on it. "What do _you_ eat?" He gestured to her as he ate the frame of Starswirl the Bearded.

"We eat... well, organic stuff. Fruit, vegetables, grains, flowers, things like that. We also consume dairy and sweets." She looked at the pieces of glass that floated out of the windows, towards Wilder. "I suppose our diet is very different."

"Yeah, I suppose. What you eat does sound pretty appetizing, though. But enough of our dietary conversation. How's our guest doing? Do you plan to ask him anything about the king guy?" He disappeared and appeared above her. "It seems like he has a different... style, to rule his people."

"Yes, indeed it does. I do plan to find out more about the Empire and how we can help it. But I think we should let him rest before we ask questions that he will find difficult to answer. I would not want to upset him when he is finally calming down."

Wilder tilted his head a bit as she sighed and paced around the floor.

"It will, however, inevitably lead to King Sombra... We'll have to find a way to stop him... I cannot stand by while I know that other ponies are being harmed and tormented..." She looked up at the sun as she started to set it, and the moon began to show on the sky.

He gave her a puzzled look. "What is so bad about disharmony? I have been here only a few days, but I still don't understand. Why the big fuss over peace and order? If nothing made sense, then no pain or harm could be done. Don't you think so?"

Celestia turned back to look at him again. Her face was patient, for she understood that Wilder needed a bit of time to get used to their lifestyle. She had figured out a while ago that perhaps Wilder had come from an environment that perhaps was not the best.

Who knows, maybe he had even run away from it, but he did not remember. Whatever the reason for his arrival, she would always be happy to explain with all patience why their way of living was necessary, why their world needed order and positive actions and emotions to survive. Patience and good teaching was all he needed, she decided.

"It _would_ do harm, actually. I have told you before, everything is connected to the balance of right and wrong. It is from this perfect balance that life is sustained. Creatures depend in the benefit of nature's rightful course to survive and grow, Wilder."

Wilder looked up in thought. He tried to understand Celestia's explanation, but... Something inside him just would not budge. It told him that there had to be another way to live... That did not make much sense, either, but Wilder enjoyed to think of it.

"Hm... I bet everypony could 'survive and grow' in a more flexible way. Something less tedious."

She walked to the window as Wilder floated closer to her. She pointed with her hoof, at the large gardens, and the land that surrounded the palace. "See all of this? Is it not beautiful the way it is? Believe it or not, it is natural beauty, Wilder. Our subjects and us did not have to do much to make the land grow. Our parents began their dream of building a kingdom here, and we have kept it alive ever since, working hard to achieve the best for our ponyfolk."

"But, it could be-"

"We have achieved this by working together with the creatures that already existed in this place. My family made treaties and agreements with them all, and before long, ponies moved in when it was safe to do so. The ancestors of this land were happy that we respected the agreements and rules, and my kind was happy to comply and live in peace. I know you think it is tedious, but unity with one another helps us work together to progress. We achieve unity by being in harmony, by understanding one another. Like the ancestors of this land once understood my parents' dreams."

"Some genius creatures they were."

"Yes... But, everything must be in order for all to be safe. Otherwise... Danger would arise, because of rebellious forms of life, and... it would endanger the life that has already been built here."

"What do you mean?"

"It is important that you understand what I am trying to explain to you, Wilder. It is important that everypony does. Otherwise... Others have failed to understand in the past. Like, King Sombra. Like, perhaps the dangers that my parents dealt with before our time. I do believe it could have been avoided, if only our message of peace had been clearer."

"Message of peace...?"

"Yes. Look around you. I believe that you can see it. Everypony is happy with peace and harmony. Without it, everypony would be against each other, with no bonds and no happiness at all. There really is no reason to disturb this peace, is there? It does not harm anypony, at the contrary. An environment that does hurt others... Our guest probably escaped from something like that. From a place that was anything but peaceful and understanding. He seemed very exhausted, sad, and worried. I would not want anypony to feel like that. I want the best that I can offer to them. Would you not like the same?"

Wilder shrugged as he looked away from the window. "If you say so... Now stop the lecture, will you?" He held his head and blew his white bangs away from his eyes. "You're giving me a headache."

Celestia walked away from the window. "I myself do not get why it is so difficult to understand. It makes me wonder where_you_ came from, Wilder. Was it from a very chaotic place?"

"I already told you, I don't remember. I only recall a voice that spoke in the dark. If you know of a way to reach more memories than that, I'd love if you told me about it."

"Concentrating very hard is a way. Letting yourself think back until that point." She laughed a bit and shook her head. "For you to do something like that would be difficult, though."

"Pfft, yeah, you're basically setting an impossible task... If that's what it takes, then I'll be amnesic forever-"

She walked up to him. "It is okay, Wilder. If you would like, you could become a part of our community and live here, in this land. We would be glad to have somepony like you. They would be glad to play with you, and put up with your antics... As long as your magic can be reversed... and you let ponies keep their free will."

"You'd be willing to let me use my magic after all?"

"Oh, of course! The things that you make with your magic are fun, in a peculiar way. After all, you are right: it _is_ healthy to have fun... So long as there is a balance. Perhaps you are the embodiment of that, Wilder. The bringer of fun and spontaneous occurrences."

"I had not thought about it that way..." He smiled brightly as he looked at her with an excited expression. "Maybe you're right. The ponies around here could really use a laugh."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, for sure. And I'm the perfect guy for the job!" He transformed the room into an indoor beach and put on his sunglasses. Then he laid back in the air and blew his tuft of mane out of the sunglasses' view.

She laughed again and shook her head as he gave her a thumbs-up. "You definitely are."

"Alright, then! Let's go find something fun to do! Ponies are in urgent need of fun and novelty! C'mon, princess, let's go!"

"Wilder, you hyperactive joker, you..."

Wilder started to float away while Celestia followed. He took his plannings seriously, if only to amuse Celestia and himself, for they knew that he never really took anything 'seriously'.

"I wonder what it could be. Maybe turning the palace into cheese! No, not good... We should have a ramp and then slide down from it with boards or something! Imagine how fast we would go! And, it'd fall upwards, right into the clouds! Oh, I love doing that."

She gave him a small smile as he continued to talk with hardly any moment to catch his breath. "Just do not forget to put the windows back the way they were, Wilder..."

* * *

...Derp. I didn't notice that there were no Crystal pegasi or unicorns until, like, we got to the middle of this 'chapter', when I was trying to find a good name for a crystal pegasus pony (which I didn't find, either, came up with something else)... By then neither of us felt like changing it, so... .

Sombra's at it again! This is the beginning of his arc. His illusion on Luna was just a brief introduction. I think this crystal pegasus is quite cute and sweet. I play him, by the way.

I really liked the ending line. I love how things keep coming back to those two. Might be too much, but I'm liking it. I think the interaction between them is quite natural and absolutely in character. Hurray for me!


	6. Nightmare Moon IS Real

**Nightmare Moon IS Real**

Luna smiled a little after she raised the moon on the sky completely. She watched as the jobs of the citizens were just about wrapped up. Most ponies bid themselves goodnight, satisfied with their deeds for the day.

She then heard some of the nocturnal creatures awake and wander around the Everfree Forest, though she made sure that they would not threaten the ponies that now slept for the night. She sighed and walked back into the palace. "Everything seemst to be fine... Perhaps We should review the spells that Master Starswirl assigned for us..."

~~~

After a much needed snack, the Moon Princess sat in the library, accompanied by a pile of books with all sorts of different spells for her to review. She read and worked diligently for a few hours. Only the sound of her magic and the pages of the book were heard, plus the occasional mutter as she read.

However, when the clock nearly struck nine, Luna began to feel tired again. She yawned. "It ist not so late... As soon as We finish this chapter, We wilt get some rest but this... comes first..."

Before she knew it, though, she fell asleep, and no longer remembered any responsibility, any duty, or any spell that needed to be reviewed.

She was startled once she heard a dark female voice echo around her. "Wh-What..." She panted as she looked around. She found that she was no longer in the library. There were no books, or shelves, or desks anywhere. "Oh, no..."

_"So, we are finally alone again. At last we have a chance to talk, with nopony watching or eavesdropping this time. Did you miss me? Has it not been a while?"_

Luna looked up at Nightmare Moon. She shivered and stepped back as she was approached by the dark entity. "N-Now... Now We definitely know this ist a dream. 'Tis only a mere illusion..."

Nightmare Moon smirked as she looked down at the princess. "You little fool. You still don't believe I'm real?" She trotted around Luna. "Tell me, how is your sister doing? Are you still living in her shadow? Hope you're cozy there." She let out a cruel, mocking laugh.

Luna glared at her and stomped her hoof forward. "We art not living in her shadow! We work together, We have told thee. But that ist something thou failest to understand. We both work for the safety of the land that wilt become our kingdom, each in different ways."

Nightmare Moon gave her a boring look. "That's usually the perfect excuse for the pathetic little wimp that always gets crushed by the other's glory."

"It ist not excuse. It ist the truth. We art different, thus we have different ways of ruling over the different areas of our kingdom. That dost not mean that Celestia overshadows us in any way! Do not try to fool us with such lies and accusations again, they wilt be useless."

"Say what you want and what you will, it changes nothing. The way I see it, you're just a lonely, cowardly filly whose weak stomach impedes her from standing up to her big sister."

"No-" Luna tried to protest, but Nightmare Moon shoved her back to continue with her bitter observations.

"Today countless servants and soldiers recognized your sister and bowed to her with adoration. They thanked her for a number of stupid things that she never even really did. Because all she does is stroll around the palace with her pretty face and kind little voice, while _YOU_ do all the hard work through the night. Through the time when the kingdom could be in the most danger. But do they appreciate it? No!"

Luna tried to turn away from her. "Thou startest to sound like that 'king'... And We no longer care about what he has to say. Thus, We must now take our leave. Thy bitter words no longer-"

"Listen to me, you arrogant little fool! I'm telling you the truth! That you want to stay in your inferior comfort zone won't change the fact that it's **real**, that it's **happening**!"

Luna gasped a little as she stopped in her tracks when Nightmare Moon yelled at her. "N-No..."

"Heh. Don't let me lie. Tell me if I'm wrong... All day long, all of last night, none of them even acknowledged _your_ existence now, did they?"

"Th-They..."

Nightmare Moon walked closer to Luna as she continued to look down at her. "Funny thing, actually." She pushed Luna's head up with her tail. "Your sister prefers that strange... thing's, company over your own. How pathetic, isn't it?"

"But, thou dost not understand, We-ungh!" She grunted as Nightmare Moon threw her down on the floor. "Ow!" She groaned, then pushed herself up.

"Do you believe me a liar now?!" Her cat-slit pupil eyes glared into Luna's, making the little princess whimper and shiver again. "Well?!"

Luna looked at her as she gathered her courage to stand tall and proud. She would not let that... monster, get the better of her. She had had enough with the nightmares and the fears. It was about time that Luna conquered them as she was meant to do, for she would never be a rightful princess if she lived in fear of her own shadow. Or, whatever it was that those nightmares and... that mare, were.

"Celestia has always been good, kind, and protective of us. She only spends time with him because he often looks for her himself. She has a friendly nature that would tolerate him much better than We would. Though We would like to have nearly as much friends as our sister does... We understand that We art not good at having close contact with our subjects."

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes as Luna stepped forward.

"But for thine information, they actually understand that much better than thou imaginest it... They art not cruel, like thou art... They would never hurt us, our subjects... If they had a problem with our way of being, and believed that We art inferior in a way, We trust that they would let us know! Because they love us just the same!"

"You're such a naive idiot, do you really think it would be that easy?! They have problems, you have problems, none of you talk about it, do you?!"

"Thou dost not make any sense... If thou wast really us..." Her eyes glowed just a bit as she pushed Nightmare Moon away with her own magic. "If thou wast really us, thou would know that We love them as much as Celestia dost, and they love us in return, even if We art not the most social of the princesses!"

She lowered her head just as Nightmare Moon started to charge her own power. Though her head was a bit low, her eyes remained intense as she continued to speak against the apparition. "Unlike our sister, We have always been nervous and prefer to watch over our subject from afar. They understand this and let us be. If they were not as loving, they would demand more of us, but they see that We need our own pace to follow and-"

"Oh, stop it, will you?! You're so pathetic, so pitiful, YOU MAKE ME SICK!" Nightmare Moon shocked Luna with her magic and tossed her back. She pinned the princess on the ground. "Now you will listen to me, stupid foal! I have had enough of your silly dreams and annoying, arrogant accusations, THEY-ARE-NOT-REAL!"

Luna tried to fight her back. "Thou art not, either!"

"WRONG! This is why I hate you. This is why everyone hates you! Always so insecure, never believing in yourself, never seeing yourself for WHAT YOU TRULY WERE!"

"We do accept ourselves! We accept that thou-"

"Hmph. It is for _that_ pathetic reason that no one shall remember you. Always in doubt of everyone, including yourself, except for that sunny cheerful clown you adore so much, that you call 'sister'..."

"Do not dare speak-immph!" Her screams were muffled when Nightmare Moon covered her mouth with her mane. "Mmm! Mmph, nn-"

"Your great effort, tolerance and justice, all wasted in acts that nopony will ever be grateful for." She looked at Luna as the preadolescent filly glared back with angry tears in her eyes. "How does an eternity of solitude sound for you?"

Luna shook her head and tried to speak clearly. Even her horn could not move the misty mane away as the tall, dark alicorn apparition stepped before her, mighty and proud. She could only turn her face up to stare at the bitter form that she would supposedly become. "..."

_Why wilt thou not let us go...? Release us! Release us, We want nothing with thee! She shut her eyes closed. Even if thou art us, We do not want to... to become..._

"I AM you."

_No!_ Luna shook her head again, faster.

"Yes! I am you... Because I knew and realized how much they all loved the Day and its princess... I am the one who accepted the cold facts and the truth, and moved on accordingly. I am the one who saw everything that you were too foolish to ignore happen. I am the one who saw it coming, embraced my knowledge, and hardened myself."

Luna grunted as the mare took her face in her hoof.

"For many years THIS pathetic side of you remained... Even when you grew suspicious of your sister that hoarded everything to herself... Even when you decided that you, too, were worth the great respect and love that she was given... Even when you realized that, you remained under your sister's hooves... _You didn't mind it..._"

_Stop putting words in our mouth. Thou hast no right to assume things of us! Thou hast no right to accuse us of anything, thou dost not know us!_ She tried to growl and move again, even when the mare continued to speak. Anything that she could do to ignore those words, to keep herself from listening, she would gladly do so with all her might.

"You grew comfortable in that invisible position. But before you knew it... Your guards, your servants, your friends, and finally your beloved sister were gone... You were all alone."

Luna opened her eyes wider and whimpered. _Celestia...?! No. No, she would never-_

"Even SHE was gone! Like the friends that you never had, but to whom you gave your faith and love nonetheless, as if they had ever existed in the first place. You know why she was gone? Because SHE was the one who took those friends away, who banished them from your life, and she was such a coward, she didn't have the guts to face you afterwards! She couldn't look you in the eye after she destroyed your life, the happy life that you had finally made-she blew it to bits and never so much as gave an explanation. Instead she shielded herself in her work and her stupid subjects who comforted, congratulated, and treated her like a poor victim..."

_What art thou talking about?! Stop. Stop!_

"You were all alone, like you were always meant to be. And during that time of sadness and darkness, the realization that changed it all came upon you. What you had been hiding for years."

_Stop!_ She grunted as Nightmare Moon shoved her chest.

"That you were too weak to even handle your own life."

_No..._

"To even give your damn sister a piece of your mind!"

_It cannot be..._

"THAT'S when I finally took power! That was when I finally ended the pathetic excuse that you always were... and turned us into the rightful, beautiful Princess of the Night that we were meant to become!"

_STOP!_

Nightmare Moon growled as Luna unleashed her magic once again to dissolve the mane that covered her mouth. "You're becoming quite annoying with those outbursts of yours..."

Luna glared at them as she tried to move, but grunted when the black mare used her magic to paralyze her body. "Let us go!"

"No! You're going to stay down there, where you belong! Where you've always and will always belong till the end of your days! Alone, deserted, forgotten, abandoned, bitter, sad, frightened, finished! That will be your fate, you better wrap your head around it!"

"No! We wilt not believe that! Even if it is the truth, We can change that! Thou hast no proof! Thou art not real, We wilt not let thee manipulate us!"

"Ohhh... No proof... No _PROOF_... Let me change that, little filly... How foolish of me..." She brought her hoof over Luna's head, making her scream in pain. "Here's your proof!"

Luna cried as she tried to move away.

"What's the matter, little princess? I thought you loved being under everypony's hooves. Don't you feel so comfy down there?"

"Thou hurt us-"

Nightmare Moon leaned down, closer to Luna as she whispered softly. "If I am an illusion, then I am not here. If I am not here, then my hoof can't be over your little stubborn head. I can't crush it like a porcelain cup if I am not here, can I? If this is all unreal, then why be here in the first place? Never mind, you're the expert throwing accusations!"

Luna winced as the black hoof was pressed against her once again. "L-Let us..."

"But tell me, Miss Know-It-All... Isn't that pain you're feeling? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but this doesn't look like that adorable, silly starry room of yours... Or, right, the dull, insipid library where you were studying. Where is all that?"

_Th-That ist right, this... We art at the library... The library...! Where? What library? This, this ist all We can remember... She ist tormenting us, where were We before this...?! Were We here all along...?!_

"No..." She started to sob. "No, that cannot be... There ist no way, W-We were awake! We... Somewhere..." _There ist no way something as painful as this ist real...!_

"Then WHERE?! Tell me where you where-what were you doing?!"

"We-We do not remem-stop!"

"What's the matter, dumb princess? Does the headache not let you think?"

"Please stop it-"

"What happened to your awful pride?! Where's that little courage you had on earlier?!" She stared at Luna with hateful and unfeeling eyes as her tears ran down her face. "Pitiful piece of garbage..."

Luna tried to rub her eyes. She bit her lips to hold her sobs back. "Let us go..."

"Go ahead, do it! Cry like the stupid little filly you are." Her eyes glowed white as she added more pressure on Luna's body. "AM I REAL ENOUGH FOR YOU NOW?!"

Luna burst out in sobs. Her body trembled with pain and fear as she covered her face with her hooves. "Please! Stop! Do not hurt us anymore! What dost thou want from us?! E-Everything wast alright... Why did it have to...?! Sister... Sister! Please, c-come... Please come hel-"

Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof in front of Luna and made her jump as she stared up at her with her tear-filled and streaked face. "Hm. That's right, where is SHE to protect you now, huh? Your _beloved, fair_ sister? Oh, yeah, I know where she is. She's playing with _him_, isn't she? Paying you no mind at all. Like always."

"N-No... She... She said... She promised...!"

"Guess she forgot about being there for you. Just like she'll forget about how important your life is, just before she destroys it!" She pounded Luna's head again. "She goes out and has fun without a care in the world. Yet here you are, alone and in pain, suffering with me and all the fears you hold inside you. Here you are, coward, without even that sunshine pest to push the truth away for you."

She pulled Luna's face up again, making her cry out. "Listen carefully and pay attention. You'll grow to enjoy this, trust me._This_ is the first of what the rest of your eternity will be like!" She stepped over her a final time to increase her pain before she began to fade away.

Luna cried out and winced again. "Please stop it... Stop it... Somepony... Somepony please..." She could not move even one feather in her wings. She was beaten and in pain in that dark dream reality that trapped her. She called out, but no one heard her, even when she slightly raised her voice. "S-Somepony..."

~~~

Celestia stopped at the throne room's hall when she sensed something again. No. She had actually _heard_ something that time. She looked over her shoulder with concern. "Wilder... Did you hear that?"

Wilder stood up on his hind legs for a bit. His ears twitched as he heard a slight echo of screams. He was glad Celestia could only hear the last traces of it, for they sounded very frightened and in pain. They were actually-

"Sounds like Luna..." He grimaced slightly before Celestia turned around to face him. "But, you know, doesn't seem like she's very bad-"

_Not again..._ "I'm sorry, but I have to see what's wrong with her."

"Alright, I'm just gonna tag along this time." Wilder followed her as she rushed down the hall. "I don't want my best playmate in a while to be hurt or something. I'll fix whatever has her upset in a second!"

Celestia smiled a little. _Thanks, that is very kind of you... My poor sister will probably need some comfort, but... From what?_Her smile faded as she tried to think of the reason why Luna was suddenly plagued by nightmares. _Have they been this often recently? I have to look into it more, I cannot let her suffer..._

~~~

Nightmare Moon laughed, then hissed at Luna. "Bad times approach, filly. You, your sister and that 'thing' better prepare for them."

Luna groaned as she lifted her head. She closed her eyes as the mare's magic surrounded her, threatening to take her over. "Just stop it... Make it stop..."

She winced as she heard dark laughter around her. It hurt nearly as much as the blows and the hooves had. Then came the sensation of drowning when she saw nothing but black. She felt nothing but despair and fear. She remembered nothing that could save her, and her throat was full of words that she could not even think well enough to scream out.

_Make it stop... Someone get us out of this... Give us strength..._

Before she drifted away and could no longer think straight to plead for herself, Luna thought she felt the odd, vague sensation of... tickling. All through her body, trying to get a forgotten response out of her that were not screams. As she closed her eyes, she thought she saw a feather floating around her body. But then, nothing more.

* * *

Wow. This one chapter was quite short. Two pages! Maybe I should find a way to make it longer, what do you suggest? Anyway. In here, Luna and Nightmare Moon confront each other again. Nightmare Moon tries to embitter our sweet little Luna! Poor of her... But, pretty much nothing else. Just reminding her that she's going to be alone. Maybe it wasn't even necessary, but I wanted to feature Nightmare Moon a bit more.


	7. Agreement and Promise

**Agreement & Promise**

Luna buried her head in her front legs. She tried to pull herself together, but could not stop crying and whimpering from the fear and sadness that her nightmare had left in her.

Regardless, she tried to reassure herself with weak encouragement. "Do not fall apart with this... It... It ist not anything that We cannot handle... It wast just a dream... A nightmare..."

She looked down as she pushed herself up. "It felt like a... a very vivid dream..." She looked up at the her reflection in the window and shivered. "A real dream..."

After jumping in fright when the books on her table felt, she whimpered again and touched her head with her hoof. "Calm down, Princess Luna... Thou art letting thy nerves get the best of thee... We must remain calm, We cannot lose our head to this..." _But what if We already lost it...?_

She looked aside when the doors of the library were open, and was genuinely glad when she saw Celestia enter, even if she was followed by Wilder.

"Luna! What happened?! Do not say it was 'nothing', we-"

Luna smiled slowly as she stared at Celestia. "Sister..."

Celestia quickly grabbed her, making her grunt a bit as she checked the filly's body top to bottom. "Are you alright? Luna, be honest with me, tell me if something happened to you."

"Sister-"

Celestia touched Luna's forehead and looked at her worriedly. "We heard you screaming. Both of us did. Did something frighten you again?"

"We... We art fine, Sister." Luna pulled away from her and composed herself. "We just... We were practicing a spell, but it did not work. It startled us, that ist all."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Luna?"

"Yes." Luna nodded her head as Celestia continued to observe her. "We apologize if We worried thee, We did not mean to make such a fuss. The spell got out of control all of a sudden, We thought something bad might happen and got a little scared."

Wilder put his claw and paw at his sides, then looked at Luna questioningly as he floated in the air. "And just what spell was it? No 'dark magic', we hope, little Luna." He ruffled her mane and nearly dropped her tiara as he did.

She gave him an irritated look, already quite annoyed by his mocking tone. She moved away and straightened her mane and tiara. "No. It wast something else. We would never dare cast dark magic, it ist against the rules of our kingdom."

Wilder snickered at her indignant tone. "Oh, you're adorable."

Celestia stepped closer to her as she started to argue with Wilder. "Luna... If there is something that you need to talk about... You can tell me. You know that, right?"

Luna stared at her for a few seconds, then looked down. Shame began to eat up at her, but she forced herself to answer calmly nonetheless. "Yes, Sister. Thank thee."

"Perhaps some bad vibe that the guest brought along rubbed off on you." Wilder came out of the shadows again and on the air in a thinking pose. "Wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Ugh..." Her head snapped up at him with an irritated glare. "What dost thou meanest?! We really art not in the mood for those ridiculous ideas of thine."

"Heh, heh! It was only a suggestion, oh mighty, fearsome, moody ruler."

_That mocking thing, how dares he tease us like that...?!_ He always managed to unnerve her, one way or another. How could Celestia stand him for more than five minutes?

"Well, do explain what thou meanest with that at once!"

Wilder shrugged. "Well, I'm no evil king, but if I was, I'm pretty sure my darkness would spread through my subjects."

Celestia glanced at the ceiling as she thought. "That might be a plausible idea..."

_No, it might not. This darkness..._ Luna looked away from them as she continued walking. _This darkness wast inside us before that pegasus arrived. In fact... We had already met Sombra before. But of course, We cannot tell that to thee, sister..._

She gasped as Wilder appeared before her. "What-"

"Feel like sharing something, little Luna?"

Luna glared back at Celestia. "Sister! Maketh him stop!"

Wilder laughed, then floated away from Luna. "Hey, I've got a better idea. Let's go visit our new friend and see if it affects Luna, to test my theory."

"We art fine. There ist no need to do such-"

Celestia walked between the two of them as they headed out of the library. "Well, we do need to see how he is doing, Luna."

"Exactly!"

She gave Wilder a cautioning look, then turned back to her little sister to smile reassuringly at her. "It cannot hurt to give his theory a try."

"Thou sidest with him?"

"Easy, Luna. I am not saying it is either right or wrong. But, it looks like we will stay up for quite a bit longer tonight, right? Might as well do something something productive like check on our guest. Make sure he is not in need of anything, right? We promised we would take care of him..."

"Fine. If thou insistest..."

Celestia nudged Luna playfully to try to get her to smile. She then turned to look at Wilder, who was already goofing off with some of their maids. "I suppose you are coming along, Wilder?"

Luna blinked and looked at Celestia when she walked past. "Oh." She raised an eyebrow. "He has a name now?" _Why art We not surprised..._

Celestia chuckled. "But of course, he must. Otherwise, how are we to refer to him? I think for now the name does just fine for him, unless anypony else can think of something better."

Luna looked at 'Wilder' and frowned when he giggled at a maid's uncomfort. She spoke quietly when he floated back to her and Celestia. "Some strange way thou hast to get into our civilization..." _Yes, forget formal meetings, reverencial balls, regal introductions, political agreements... Just appear out of nowhere and make a mockery out of the dignified work of the two princesses, that wilt definitely work._

She grimaced just slightly when she heard Wilder chuckle and stare at himself as he spoke.

"Well, _I'm_ strange, so it works perfectly, doesn't it?" He grinned at Celestia, who giggled a bit as Luna rolled her eyes and groaned.

He teleported beneath Luna's feet and took the form of the cloth in the carpet. He startled her when she realized that he was beneath her. "Oh, come now, Luna. Do you still not trust me? Personally, I think your sister was very generous by giving me a name, don't you agree? It's awesome, too. Fits me so well!"

Luna raised an eyebrow and stepped away from the carpet. She scooted back as she watched him sit up from it. "Well... Yes, We suppose she was very kind, to give thee a name... Otherwise We would not know what to call to thee, if We were ever to speak to thee from necessity."

"See? It's a winning argument!"

_Argument for what...?_ She lowered her head as she groaned again. "We have no objection, it ist just..." She sighed.

He leaned closer to her and nudged her eagerly. "Go on, say it. You know you want to~"

Luna moved away from him as Celestia held in her laughter again. "Thou art rather strange. Unusual to this land... Dost thou even want to fit in here? It sure dost not appear so. There are guidelines and expectations of behavior that must be followed in this kingdom, and thou dost not meet them. How dost thou expect to be accepted here if thou cannot abide by the rules?"

Celestia looked at her questioningly. "You mean as in, have him live here, Luna?"

The young filly spoke in her usual highly proper and serious manner. "That ist precisely what We mean. We art a forming kingdom, sister. That said, we need to make certain who wilt be our subject and citizen and who wilt be rogues or simple visitors."

Celestia sighed, and smiled a little at her little sister's seriousness. "Well, I think Wilder will stay here for a while, as he does not remember whence he comes from."

Luna stopped and looked at her curiously. "He really dost not?"

Wilder gave her a look. "What, you think I'm joking? That wouldn't be a very tasteful joke, would it?" He shrugged as he kept a carefree expression, even when he saw Luna's confused and questioning look. "I don't remember and that's that. Don't make such a big deal of it."

Celestia patted his shoulder as he floated close by. "It is alright, he can get to that information when he feels ready or able to do so. All in time and whenever he is ready. In the meantime, Wilder, as you have nowhere else to stay, this land would be happy to have you. That means you would have an official home here... Because, I do not believe you possess one as of yet. Right?"

"I believe I don't." He teleported before them. "But I'd be more than willing to stay here, if you'd allow me the privilege." He bowed before them and smirked slightly.

Celestia smiled at his attempts at formality, then looked at Luna. When she saw no objections in her eyes, she turned back to look at Wilder and nodded as Luna did.

"Of course, I would be glad to let you stay. You can even stay here at the palace! It would be a pleasure and an honor for us to have you here."

"We have no objection-wait a minute, sister, the palace?! But, but he has not even gone-We mean-too soon for that, he-he ist not-"

Celestia patted her shoulder to calm her down. "Heh. Now, now, Luna, we do not want to be rude to our guest and new friend, do we? Wilder has been friendly and nice to us, we should show him the same courtesy and kindness. I know you can do that, right? You always have been very kind, too."

Luna gave her a look as Celestia looked at her with a pleading smile. "Sister, thou wilt not educate us in manners..." She pointed at Wilder with her hoof. "He has brought nothing but trouble to us, to everypony in the kingdom! Should we really give him the privilege and honor of staying at the palace itself?"

"I do not see why not. He deserves it. And you heard him, he has nowhere else to stay."

"Well, that has many other solutions, sister. We can assign him a home."

"We do not need to trouble our subjects, the palace is big enough for us three!" Celestia laughed as Luna frowned a bit. "Do excuse her, Wilder. She is a little shy and uncomfortable about newcomers."

"Ah, I'd already figured THAT out. Don't worry, I find it simply delightful!" He snickered as Luna glared at him. "Ohhh, there's that look again!"

He then sighed and floated in the air as he led the princesses forward. "But first, I do believe we've got stuff to discuss with our 'guest'."

Celestia nodded as they entered the infirmary. "Yes, yes, Wilder, we are on our way." She turned to the doctor and spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb other patients. "The pegasus that we brought earlier... How is he doing, doctor?"

The doctor bowed briefly before he took a look at his notes. "He still rests, Thy Highness. He seemed very agitated and upset, we had to work a lot to get him to calm down..."

Luna frowned as Celestia seemed a bit worried as well. She looked up at Celestia as she spoke.

"I see... But, nothing serious...?"

"Oh, no, Princess Celestia, of course not. Other than just exhaustion, the young colt should be fine."

Celestia sighed with relief and nodded at the doctor as she excused him. "Thank you."

Luna walked to the room where their guest rested. She looked through the window at the nervous pegasus.

Wilder glanced at Luna as he floated closer to her. "Feel anything strange, Luna?"

She gave him a deadpan look and shook her head. "No. We art not." She smirked a little and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "How about thyself?"

Celestia shook her head and she walked past them. "Stop studying and teasing one another. This is not a psychology class." She walked into the pegasus' room.

The pegasus gasped and jumped a bit when he saw the door open. He back slightly, but relaxed once he realized it was the familiar Princess Celestia, her sister, and her friend. "Thy Highness..."

Celestia smiled kindly at him as they approached gently. "It is okay. I am glad you are doing better now. Have you eaten something, my friend?"

He looked down and fidgeted with his hooves. "A... A bit. I am not very hungry."

"Please eat as much as you can so that you regain your strength." Celestia positioned herself before his bed as he looked at her again. "I do not mean to intrude in any way. You may talk about it whenever you are ready. We would like to know more about you, though. What is your name?"

"Do you have a thing for names, Celestia?"

"Well, Wilder, what do you suggest we use to address him, hm?"

Wilder looked up and folded his arms. "I don't know. I've never had to address anyone before... That I remember. How about... 'Candy Skin'? Seems about right."

Celestia shook her head. "I prefer to address folks by their given names. Calling people 'names' based on their appearance is rude and improper."

"Fine, fine, have it your 'proper' way. What's your name, then, hm?" Wilder looked at the pegasus, who quickly looked down nervously.

"M-My name... It ist Red Feather. I... I just escaped from the Crystal Empire..." He sighed and looked aside as he shivered a bit. "But... I am afraid I have made it worse by running away..."

Luna frowned slightly. "Well, thou had to escape to warn others of thy situation. Otherwise no help would arrive to thee."

Red Feather quickly looked at the princesses. "Thy Highnesses... Thou... Thou MUST help everypony back there. Th-They art enslaved and tormented by King Sombra. I wast the only one that managed to escape, and I made it worse for all of them..."

He looked down as he started to shake with fear and despair. "I cannot stand the idea of the others being trapped in there, suffering because of me, wh-while I am free..."

Celestia nodded and rested a hoof on his shoulder. "Do not worry, our friend. We will not let them suffer much longer."

Luna stepped closer to the pegasus. "Indeed. Thy kingdom wilt be rescued, Red Feather, for we shalt stop King Sombra, no matter what we must do. It ist our duty to bring justice and peace to any land that we can assist, we shalt not let it be ruined any further."

"We'll save the beautiful Crystal Empire." Celestia looked up at Wilder and smiled a bit. "With a bit of good help, I am sure."

Wilder teleported above Red Feather, seeming as though he had not heard the sisters' promises. "So tell me, glittering pegasus... What do I have to do to look like that?" He held a giant magnifying glass above him to observe his coat better.

Celestia sighed, holding a hoof to her face as Red Feather cringed away from the object that levitated over him. "Wilder, now is not the time..."

Luna rolled her eyes again. _Some help **he** wilt provide, sister._

Red Feather shifted in his bed. He felt uncomfortable again as he tried to answer Wilder's question. "Um... We... We were all born like this..." He lifted his hoof to look at his dark red shimmering coat. "...Our coats were actually shinier than this, really..."

He looked down as his ears lowered when he spoke. "They dulled and turned like this when King Sombra's evil spread out through our kingdom..."

Wilder sighed. "Pfft. So it all has to do with happiness and stuff. How mushy and boring."

Red Feather shivered and stared aside, but did not gaze at anything in particular. "We art not happy anymore... We do not know how to even be happy now." He sighed sadly and lowered his wings as he stared at the tray of hardly-touched food that laid on top of the bedside table.

Celestia patted his back and smiled to comfort him. "We will try our best to help you, Red Feather. Please have faith in us. We will not fail you and your ponyfolk."

Luna nodded in agreement, her face determined as she looked at Red Feather.

Red Feather felt grateful and perhaps a bit hopeful that time. "Thank thee, Princess Celestia... Princess Luna... We wilt appreciate thy help..."

Celestia looked at Wilder again as Red Feather fidgeted with his blankets. "Are you going to help, too?"

"Well, this Sombra guy sounds like he might have something to do with my past. So... Yes!" He patted the red pony too. "We'll all help you."

Celestia blinked as she watched Wilder. _Why would he think something like that?_

Red Feather looked up at Wilder. He felt grateful towards him as well, but was still weirded out by his strange appearance and behavior. "Um... Th-Thanks..."

Luna looked at Wilder with a raised eyebrow. "Why would King Sombra know anything about thee? Thou art hardly like him."

Wilder pretended to blush and acted bashful as he spoke. "Aww, Luna, that's touching! Please, you flatter me." He smirked and patted Luna's head with his tail. "You meant that as a compliment, right?"

Luna cleared her throat and stepped away from the mismatched creature's tail. "W-Well... It ist just our opinion... We wonder, really..."

She shook her head and looked up at Wilder. "Honestly, why would he know anything that had to do with thee? Why him of all people?" She huffed a bit when Wilder only shrugged to her questions.

Celestia nodded as she watched Wilder float in circles. She could tell that he was already growing bored. "Yes, Luna is right. He only seems to know about evil, and you are anything but, my friend."

"Well, I have a hunch that I might get a few answers from him if I ever meet him. So I'll tag along for the trip and have fun while I'm at it. I suppose this one will show the way?" He pointed to Red Feather.

Red Feather nodded a bit before he looked down at his bed again. "Y-Yes, I wilt gladly do so..."

Celestia put a hoof on her chin as she thought. "I knew of the kingdom, but I did not know it was real, so... I guess I have yet to learn of its location. So he will indeed come as a guide, but it will be once he is fully recovered."

She stood up and walked away from the bed. "We will let you rest now, Red Feather. Thank you for trusting us." She gave him another warm smile.

That time, Red Feather actually smiled back at her. It was just slight and small, but still a smile. "Again... Th-Thank thee, Princess Celestia. And, thanks to thee as well." He looked at Luna and Wilder and bowed his head briefly. He also smiled at them.

Celestia walked towards the door and motioned at the others to follow her. "I am going to get a snack and then raise the sun. Morning time is approaching. Luna, would you like to eat with me?"

"Yes, We art rather hungry."

She glanced up at Wilder as he floated out of the infirmary. "I guess you still are not, Wilder? That is alright. If you want, you can look around the palace while we have our breakfast."

Wilder smirked and stretched. "Alright, I'll do that, if you don't mind. See ya!" After he bid them farewell, he headed to the rooftop of the palace and laid there.

Celestia looked up for a few seconds. "A strange one, is he not? He is rather amusing, though."

Luna nodded and sighed. "Strange indeed, sister... Hopefully he wilt adapt to the land well."

Celestia chuckled a bit. "Probably not, but I am sure he can keep his personality from harming anypony." She smiled a bit sheepishly as Luna gave her a look before she walked down the hall with her.

After discussing the benefits and risks of keeping Wilder as their guest and fellow kingdom citizen, the sisters headed to the dining hall to have a much needed breakfast and rest together.

* * *

Celestia, Luna, and Wilder (Discord) have promised Red Feather to fight for his kingdom and do their best to protect it from Sombra's rule. At the same time, Wilder seems to have begun to put serious thought to his mysterious origins, and he seems to believe that Sombra may lead to some answers, for some reason. Who knows if he's right...

There, the edit is done. Added more little exchanges between Wilder and the princesses, for my enjoyment. And a bit more expressive gestures for Red Feather. I find this guy very sweet, I need to develop on him more.

But alas... I feel the ending was weak once again...


	8. Fun in the Evening

**Fun in the Evening**

Wilder laid on his back, on the rooftop of the palace, which had become his favorite spot. He sat up and played with the stars that started to appear on the sky above him.

Night had begun to settle upon the sky only a few minutes ago, but there were already plenty of beautiful, shining stars that Wilder entertained himself with by shaping into different forms, like he had done with the clouds when he met Celestia.

He connected some glowing dots and formed new alignments, then set them in motion. He smirked when he glanced aside and noticed some ordered and organized constellations that the Night Princess had already made.

Young as Luna was, he had to hand it to the filly, she was a great artist. Most of her skillful constellations were already up on the sky for everypony to view and enjoy. However, marvelous as the little forms were, the art style was much too rigid for his taste.

He lifted his eagle claw as he rested his head on his lion arm, then snapped his fingers and made some of Luna's constellations change forms and move against one another. He chuckled, already imagining how flustered the dutiful princess filly would get when she saw what had become of her rigid artwork.

He made a ship out of the aligned stars and controlled it as it sailed through the sky. "Hah... Much better, look at that..."

The sisters had chosen to eat out in the palace gardens. After dinner, Celestia had to work hard at calming Luna down. Her little sister fumed with rage once they noticed that the constellations that she had created the night before took strange forms and moved on their own.

"Luna, calm down, they still look great. Very lively, might I-"

Luna tried to break free from the hold of her sister's magic. "That rude creature, he has no right to alter our beautiful work! Sister! What he does ist intolerable! Maketh him stop, Celestia, please! It ist not fair! We worked hard at those forms! If thou wilt not stop him, We wilt!"

Wilder held in his laughter, then let it out loudly as he heard Luna's complaining.

Celestia sighed as Luna gave her a demanding look. "Very well, alright, Luna, I will take care of it. Just calm down, okay? He will fix things in a second, you know he does not mean any harm." She stood up after she managed to make Luna calm down.

_I am sure that fixing things will not be a problem,_ she thought as she headed where Wilder laid to relax.

"Wilder, what are you doing? You do know you are unnecessarily upsetting Luna, right? There is no need to ruin her work, You both can shape stars, apparently, and there is plenty of space to do so."

Wilder sighed after she spoke to him. He snapped his fingers and the stars stopped moving. "There they are, back to their boring order. Just the way she likes it."

Luna called out to him from the ground. "Wilder, do not lie! They art not the way We left them!"

"Oh, don't be such a perfectionist, Luna. They're fine and adorable the way they are and that's how they're going to stay!" He snapped his fingers to enchant the stars into remaining in their crooked constellations permanently, for good measure. He then snickered as Luna nearly threw an angry tantrum, had it not been for her 'royal manners'.

"Oh, dear..." Celestia held a hoof on her head. Then her ears twitched when Wilder called her name. "Hm?"

Her attention was caught again as Wilder made his own stars change colors and glow brightly in the sky.

"Oh..." She would not say it out loud, to spare Luna's feelings, but the lively glowing stars were among the most beautiful things that she had ever seen.

Their glow was so bright that they reflected off the land that they set alight, and she could sense already that their beauty made Luna somewhat jealous.

She was relieved to know that her sister had a much better, more diligent nature, though. She would learn from the display in no time. With that thought in mind, she could concentrate on the beauty of the glowing colors on the sky without guilt. "Those stars... They are..."

"You like them, Celestia?" Wilder chuckled. "They're not stars, though."

She looked at him curiously. "Oh? Then what are they?"

"I call them 'fireworks'. You hear the crackling and popping noise before they go out? That's the fire in 'em, I guess. Then again, I don't think too much about what I create. Ruins the magic." He shrugged as he looked up at the sky.

"I see... Nice..." Celestia muttered her appraise without much intent, for her attention was captured by what she had managed to hear were called 'fireworks', whatever his reasons were to call them that.

A pink glowing ray flew quickly into the air, then exploded into many dots of expanding golden light.

She gasped excitedly and pointed at it with her hoof. "Look at that one, Wilder! It is so like... like...!"

He nodded at her before looking back at the sky. "Like the sun, a bit."

She blushed slightly as she stared at him with a smile. Yes... Like the sun... Like...

Luna sat on the rooftop with the other two as she watched the fireworks. "We have never been able to make something like that... How dost thou make them?" She spoke with sincere curiosity and humility, and hardly made an effort to hide her curiosity and amazement.

Wilder smiled and patted her head. "I'm not even sure myself. I think it has to do with something more than just stars, though. I'll wrap my head around it and tell you some other day, Luna."

Luna sighed and looked up at the warped constellations that Wilder had enchanted. She could not help but smile a little to herself at how funny they looked now.

"Your... fireworks... They are wonderful. It is as though... As though the sun and the moon blended together, to create such astonishingly glowing stars. I like them." Celestia smiled as she looked at Wilder, who had picked up his moving constellations to play with them again.

Wilder saw her smile from the corner of his eyes. He smiled himself without turning to face her. He lost concentration, though, so the stars fell on his head like tiny diamonds. "Ow, oww, ouch!" He blushed a bit and gave the stars a look before he disorganized and flicked them back on the sky.

Luna looked at him and raised an eyebrow as the stars disappeared once they fell on him.

Celestia laughed a bit and quickly covered her mouth with her hoof. "Are you alright? I did not know stars could do that. I bet Luna would be interested in learning that. The moving constellations, I mean."

Luna blushed slightly as she gave her a bit of an indignant look. "Sister, We already know how to do that."

"Oh, really? Then you should do it more often, Luna. Why do you not?" Celestia smiled as she gave her a curious look when Luna turned away.

"We just... We choose to leave them in their place, so that our subjects may appreciate them better, that is why. But We certainly know how to make them move, We learned that a while ago."

Wilder smirked and looked up at the sky as the fireworks faded away. "With me around, girls, there'll be so much to find out!"

Luna looked down at some of the servants that gathered outside to watch the display. "Oh... Now we have to take care of the subjects that have been distracted from their work. Great, well done, Wilder."

"Why, thank you!"

"Rrrgh... Sister, We do not understand why he must stay..." She continued to grumble as she flew down to meet with the servants.

Wilder held in a snicker, then circled around Celestia. "How about I show you another trick? You'll enjoy this one for sure, I know it."

She shifted on her hooves a bit as he continued to float around her. "Heh. Sure, go ahead."

"Great! I was just waiting for your answer anyway."

A giant, bright yellow slide appeared before them. It ran down from the roof to a multi-colored pool that floated right above the slide's other end, full of chocolate milk. The pool floated upside down, but the milk remained inside the container without falling.

She laughed a bit at the display of gravity defiance that her certainly-odd friend put on for her. She was about to compliment him on it, but he grabbed her close to him, making her blush slightly again.

"Hold on." He slid down with her a few seconds later.

"But Wilder, you don't expect to-" She gasped, then screamed a bit as they went down.

Wilder laughed excitedly with her as they slid down at high speed. As they flew from the tip and headed to the pool, they landed and splashed a great part of the garden area of the palace grounds.

He pulled his head out of the milk and grinned at Celestia. "Well, that was fun!"

Celestia let out a sigh after she finished laughing. She looked down at the milk as she tasted it. "I really do wonder how you do all these things."

Luna shook herself dry and gave them both a deadpan look. "What art thou doing? Thou soaked nearly the whole palace grounds!"

Celestia walked out of the pool and approached Luna. "Wilder just showed me another trick, Luna. Some more of the things he can do, which are quite fascinating, as you just saw." She pointed at the pool with a bright smile. "We slid down-"

Wilder smiled at her. "Up."

"Yes, up. Up to this pool at top speed, you should try it! It was very fun."

Luna blinked and looked at the upside-down pool before it disappeared. "Hm... Was it really?" She frowned a bit in confusion as she looked back at the other two.

Celestia smiled and nodded. "It is nice to play a game once in awhile. And that was a lot of fun, I should mention again, Wilder." She shook the chocolate milk out of her wings and mane.

Wilder twisted his body like a towel, wringing the chocolate milk off. "And I have plenty more ideas. Would you like to see some more of them?" He looked at Celestia as he stretched his claw over to her.

Celestia nodded excitedly, walking a bit closer to him before she looked at Luna. "Sure. How about you, Luna? Do you want to come along?"

Luna looked back at the palace, then at them. She raised an eyebrow as she gave a few tentative steps towards them. "We can... We can play along for a bit, We suppose. It ist not like We would have another choice, with _him_ as the director..."

She sighed as she stepped before them, trying to ignore their satisfied smiles. "Oh, stop that. Both of thee."

Wilder blinked and held his paw to his forehead in a dramatic fashion. "My! Did I hear right? No, this must be a dream. All-serious little Princess Luna finally decided to honor us with her presence in amusement and entertainment?! Surely you jest, Luna-it's got to be my playful mind doing its tricks on me! Oh, I've got to pinch myself!" He exclaimed with mocking surprise, then grinned at her once he finished.

Luna gave him an annoyed look. "Wouldst thou liketh us to comply...?"

Wilder gave her an exaggerated sigh as he proceeded to mock her further by 'explaining' his little act. "Thanks, Luna, but I was being sarcastic. You see, it works just like-"

Luna folded her front legs. "Hmph! Like We do not know what 'sarcasm' ist!"

"Very fun, isn't it?" Wilder taunted, ruffling her mane as he smirked.

Celestia shook her head. "Stop it, you two." She cleared her throat to get Wilder's attention as he grabbed Luna and subjected her to a noogie, despite her protests. "So, what else can you do, Wilder?"

Wilder let Luna go and floated above her to avoid her hoof. "My, you're a wild one. Aren't you, little princess?"

He cleared his throat and brushed his mane back with his lion paw as he looked over at Celestia. "Heh, heh. What else can I do? Well, why don't you tell me what you two think, after I show you this?" He raised his eagle claw and snapped his fingers.

In an instant, Celestia's head was over Luna's body. Luna's was over Wilder's body, and Wilder had Celestia's body.

"How's this for a trade of roles?" He laughed as he raised his gold-plated white front hooves.

Luna gasped and panicked a little. "What didst thou do?! Wilder, change us back! Now!" She nearly fell as she tried to manipulate Wilder's large and long body.

Celestia giggled as she looked at Luna. "Do lighten up a bit, little sister. This is only temporary."

"Temporary or not, We do not enjoy it! Thou said it would be fun! This ist NOT amusing at all!"

"I never thought any of this magic was possible. It is..." Celestia shook her head as she looked at her smaller, dark sapphire blue body. "You certainly have great powers over reality and space, Wilder. It is truly quite impressive. None of the unicorns we have met, including ourselves or our masters, can any of this."

"Yes. It _is_ rather impressive, isn't it?" Wilder smirked cockily as he opened the white alicorn wings that he now possessed. "I was in fact working on another thing. Just for you, Celestia. Care to see it?"

He arranged their bodies back to their normal forms and looked at Celestia with curiosity.

Celestia blinked and blushed again as he leaned closer to them. "Oh... Really? Just for me?"

"Yep! It'll be a nice show for you, but if Luna wishes to see, she's welcome to come along! The more, the better. So what do you two say?" He tapped his fingers together as he gave them an eager smile.

Celestia smiled again and stepped closer to him."I am ready to see it, Wilder."

Luna nodded, but kept a cautious distance from him. "We will watch."

"Let's be on our way, then!" Wilder extended his claws and teleported the three away.

They appeared within a large room in the palace, their bodies bright blue and transparent.

A tall, white stallion anxiously paced around the throne room where they all stood.

Wilder looked around, then leaned down to whisper to the princesses. "Alrighty, we're here."

The princesses immediately noticed that the alicorn king wore armor and crown that belonged to the design of the earlier royal generation.

Wilder smirked and stood behind the two sisters as they stared at the king with shock. "Look familiar?"

The royal stallion looked up as a guard approached him. He greeted the saluting guard, then spoke with a worried, yet serious tone. _"Hath it arrived?"_

"Not yet, Thy Grace."

Luna stared at the king as he spoke. Her eyes widened with surprise. "That ist...!"

"That is Father... Our father!" Celestia gave Wilder a surprised look. "What is this, Wilder?" She quickly turned back to the Sun King, feeling quite a bit of nostalgia as she watched her father eagerly await something from another locked, heavily guarded room down the hall.

Wilder chuckled as he watched the princesses. "Oh, just a small thing. I reached into your mind, Celestia. I pulled the happiest memory you held, then brought it to life for a moment. I got _this_ part of the memory-how it happened-with a little improvised tweaking. Isn't it neat?"

A nurse mare walked out of the guarded infirmary and joined the Sun King in the throne room. She had a kind, calm smile on her face.

The king immediately turn to look at her. _"Do go on, informeth us!"_

The nurse nodded and bowed her head respectfully. _"Thy foal ist here, my King. It ist a beautiful, healthy filly. She now rests with Her Grace."_

The king smiled joyously and rushed into the infirmary room.

"You..." Celestia did not even finish what she muttered to Wilder, for the room where they stood suddenly changed into a different one.

They had moved on to the infirmary where the Queen rested, surrounded by attentive nurses and doctors. The three youngsters stared right into the happiness of a new birth in the Royal Family.

Luna looked at Celestia and whispered excitedly to her. "This ist thy birth, Sister! How remarkable that he was able to reach back this far!"

Celestia smiled as she looked at Luna, who now spoke to Wilder.

"But thou obviously didst not know our sister from then. It hath only been but a few days since we met thee. How ist it possible that thou reached so far, even with thy magic?"

"Pretty sharp, aren't you, little Luna?" Wilder looked at the scene in front of them with a cocky expression on his face. "Reaching others' memories seems like such a simple task to me. I can do it at any time. Well, at least with some of them memories. Some others are harder to reach..."

"Well, that ist what We mean, because-" Luna blinked when Wilder smiled and covered her mouth with a finger of his lion paw.

"However, you're also wrong, you know. This isn't Celestia's birth. There's no way I could've reached that memory neither from her, nor from you. Waaaay too early a memory for me to get to. Plus, I have nopony of trust to get it from." He winked and smirked slightly at them. _Unfortunately... Heh, heh._

The king nuzzled with the dark sapphire blue mare that was the queen. He looked at the newborn filly that she held and smiled proud and happily.

A slightly older alicorn filly entered the room. She had a white coat like her father's, large, curious violet eyes, a short, pink mane, and a blank flank. She shyly walked in, quietly tiptoeing past the guards.

_"Father?"_ Young Celestia directed herself to the royal couple.

"It's _yours_," Wilder whispered to Luna, just as the small, dark-blue filly lifted her head from her bundled blanket and opened her two moderate cyan dot-eyes before she yawned.

Luna looked at the newborn foal, then at the older filly that approached her parents. She smiled a little despite her surprise. "Oh. Ours...?"

The older Celestia nodded with a smile. "That is a very happy memory for all of us, after all." She smiled as she looked at the filly Luna. "Oh, you looked just adorable..."

Luna looked at her. _This ist thy happiest memory, sister? That ist..._

Celestia looked at Wilder again and chuckled. "Well, you will get to see me as a filly, too. I am a bit embarrassed, I must say. I was quite active at that young age."

"Is that-" Wilder was cut off by little Celestia, who had quickly overcome her initial shyness and was nearly bounced around her parents.

Her voice was childish, hyperactive, and eager. _"Oh! Ist she here already, Father? Huh? Huh? Ooooh, she ist, she ist! What ist her name?"_

The King looked at the little Celestia and patted her head. _"Her name ist Luna, Celes-"_

"Luna? Ooh, it ist perfect! We love Luna! Luna it shalt be! 'Welcome, Sister Luna!' It sounds splendid! A very good choice." She looked at the newborn filly again. "She ist okay, right? Like, no problems? If something wast wrong, that would be quite bad! She ist only a newborn, and newborns art supposed to be fine, otherwise they might grow up with more problems later on-"

She gasped for air, then quickly continued her eager speech. _"Oh, oh, oh she ist so little and blue! She ist cute, We really like her! Mother, Father, doth thou liketh her? Methinks she shalt be a great partner to play with! We shalt teach her many things! Oh, Mother, she looks just like thee!"_

The Queen laughed a bit, then smiled at her eldest daughter.

The King patted Celestia to stop her hyperactive rambling. _"Easy, Celestia. Calm down. Thou surely dost not want to wake thy new sister."_

Celestia gasped and nodded as she covered her mouth with her hooves for a second. _"Right! Okay, We shalt be quiet!"_ She leaned closer to her mother to get a better look at Luna.

Celestia sighed and blushed a bit. "Yep. There I am..." She covered her face with her hoof as Luna chuckled only slightly.

Wilder laughed quietly and nudged Celestia. "Oh, what are you talking about? I think it's adorable."

He snapped his fingers and returned them to the present. "So tell me, how'd you like your gift? It's actually the first time I've used that power. Pretty cool, huh?"

Celestia smiled thankfully at him. "It was very nice of you to show us that. Thank you."

"Glad you liked it~! In that case, why don't we continue enjoying the evening? There's so many different things to do and games to play! I've got plenty!"

Celestia laughed. "Oh, Wilder..."

Wilder stretched his arms out as he talked. "It'll be fun! That's what you all need here. Isn't that right, Luna?" He looked at the youngest sister, then snickered when she gave him another look.

"Huh? But-" Luna stammered before Wilder picked her up. "Hey! Wilder, put us down!"

Wilder floated forward as he bounced Luna a bit before he set her down. "C'mon. You all need to enjoy yourselves! And I know how to do just that. Allow the master to show you and give you a good time!" He then began to appear all sorts of things for their entertainment.

Eventually, both of the sisters laughed and truly enjoyed the variating playtime, much to Wilder's amusement and delight.

Luna laughed as she never had before, hardly able to keep her regal manners present. She forgot about her obligations, duties, and seriousness completely as they played. Even her ever-present worries and fears drifted away.

Before she knew it, she warmed up to Wilder as he continued to give them the good time that they-Luna in particular-needed so much.

_We have not felt this good in a while... We did not think it would be possible to laugh like this ever again... To feel this happy. And all because... All because of Wilder._

Wilder smirked as he pulled a few cotton candy clouds out of Luna's reach so she would chase after them. "C'mon, almost there! You got it!"

Luna crouched, then jumped into the air to finally catch a small cloud. She giggled when it squirted her with her sister's odd favorite beverage. "Hm... 'Lemonade', she said this was..."

She licked her lips once she tried it. _Oh, it ist so good! No wonder she liked it. Sweet, yet sour and... Just so delicious..._ She looked up at the other clouds, then flew after them, determined to see what kind of drink they held inside the candy.

Celestia smiled as she watched Luna. She stretched her wings a bit after she finished the hide and seek game that she had played with Wilder, upon his request.

Luna covered her mouth with her hooves so she would not let out her giggles. She watched Wilder as he appeared behind Celestia to startle her.

"Wilder, you are such a tease!" Celestia laughed again and raised her wing to shield herself from rainbow-colored bubbles that burst into light and glitter when they popped. "Hey..."

Luna then suddenly remembered everything that needed to be done and supervised for that night. But, instead of tending to those duties, they had spent most of the evening having fun with Wilder. Not that she actually complained, she absolutely enjoyed every minute of it.

"Oh. We did not even realize..." She looked up at the sky and nervously shifted in her hooves when she noticed how dark it had gotten. "We had forgotten..." She quickly turned to look at Celestia. "Sister, it ist almost time for the annual ball!"

"Goodness, that's right... We cannot miss it or be late for it, we are the hostesses!" She looked at the palace, which had already begun to receive some guests.

"A ball? You mean a party?! SWEET! I'm totally going! Oh, I gotta find something to wear!" Wilder glowed white and vanished in light. He reappeared wearing a white buttoned shirt, a red tie, and a black jacket, along with a monocle and a fancy black cane.

"Dressed... fancy enough for the occasion, would you say?" He smiled and slicked his mane back before turning to the princesses.

They laughed as they stared at him and his dramatic poses.

"You look perfect, Wilder. Luna and I still have to get dressed, so we will head to our rooms. I think some music pieces have already started, though, so you may wait for us downstairs."

Luna smiled a little at Wilder as she turned around to follow Celestia. "We wilt not be long. Try not to overwhelm the guests with thy magic in the meantime, our friend."

She was actually rather glad that she and Wilder had finally broken the awkward ice between them to get along better. He proved to be quite a good friend and a very entertaining creature, when given the chance to get past his cocky, teasing attitude.

He was also very kind and equally friendly to both Celestia and her. He even went out of his way to make sure that he pleased and entertained both of them. She liked that very much.

Wilder was stunned for a moment as he saw the princesses walk away towards the palace. "Friends...? Wow... I really... like the sound of that..."

He smirked and headed off to the ball. "Alright, then. Let's go show those ponies what _real_ fun is all about!"

* * *

Whee! I'm done with another chapter! And with the edit, too! In here, let's see... It's just fun with the princesses and Wilder. He shows off his magic to the princesses, winning their friendship and trust. Him showing them the scene of Luna's birth was absolutely adorable, of course it had to melt even Luna's chilly and distant seriousness! Adorable filly Celestia is adorable, even with her archaic speech.

Well, I think Wilder is rather satisfied with the results of his amusing efforts. I love the interaction between Luna and Wilder! It's a win. I love the brilliant idea of the loopy constellations and the fireworks, too. It spontaneously came to me as I edited the chapter. I'm satisfied with myself for having come up with it. Another thing Wilder introduced to the early Equestria; fireworks!

Oh, wow, Wilder, you're so lucky! You got the privilege to be invited to the ball personally by the princesses. Ahh, I like the archaic speech, but it's a bit hard to place it right. I have the feeling I'm not getting it right. Little Celestia using archaic speech and the royal we is so cute! So hyper and all, but still proper.


	9. Vengeful War Declared, Pure Hope Prevail

**Vengeful War Declared, Pure Hope Prevails**

Red Feather spoke to the nurses and doctors much better. He felt more comfortable when they walked in to check on him, even if they did so unexpectedly. Sometimes he even kept a small conversation with them. Though he remained quiet for the most part, the crystal pegasus had quickly become a very liked patient in the royal infirmary, and he did not have many objections to their attentive care.

Thanks to his conversation with the princesses and Wilder, Red Feather regained some confidence and faith in everypony's good intentions. He began to believe in their promises, and in turn reassure himself. _Perhaps there **ist** hope for the Crystal Empire after all..._

The positive thought made him happy, and it surprised him quite a bit. He had not felt happiness during most of his life. _It ist so strange and... sad... But this wilt not be for long. Soon, we wilt all be happy again. It wilt no longer be uncomfortable to be close to one another, like we were before._

He was sure that things would be very different for him and all the other crystal ponies, once King Sombra was defeated by the princesses and their friend.

He developed more faith in the new ponies that he had met in the short time since he had arrived in the land that was still growing, but already so different from the Empire. It was filled with kindness, peace, and warmth that got to everypony and just made them believe in something good.

He walked to the window and stared at the princesses' kingdom with a small smile.

It was nowhere near the development of the Crystal Empire. It did not even have a name. However, it had happiness and harmony among its subjects, something that the Empire ceased to possess long ago, and never developed again.

He wished that he could live in the welcoming land. He wished so with all his heart. He wanted to forget about everything and just become one more citizen of the kingdom. He would live with the other subjects of the princesses' and forget all about the terrible place from where he had escaped.

...But he dismissed those ideas with a resigned sigh.

He knew it was not possible to do any of that. He could never do something as terrible as leaving his comrades and crystal ponyfolk behind-forgotten, tortured, and enslaved. He would sacrifice the happiness that he had discovered, the dream life that he wished for, in order to give all of the Empire the opportunity to experience freedom as he had.

It was better that ALL of the crystal ponies had freedom, and not just Red Feather, in his blissful happiness that would never be complete without everypony else.

He would make the best of his stay in the kingdom, but knew that he would have to return to the unpleasant memories of the Empire, in order to help those that still suffered their unfortunate and unfair punishment.

He paced around the room, debating whether or not to walk around the palace just yet. He could hear faint music from downstairs, but that did not exactly encourage him.

He sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. "No, I think I will just stay here and rest. I need it. And it will save the princesses any unnecessary attention tonight."

Red Feather's shadow grew and took the silhouette of Sombra.

The King snarled and whisper menacingly. _"Just what dost thou want to find here? What dost thou expect from those two? Those little fillies cannot help thee. Not thee, nor anypony else that thou hast so shamelessly left behind."_

Red Feather gasped as he heard the King's voice. His eyes opened wider from the shock of staring at the dark silhouette on the shadows. "N-No..."

He started to tremble in fear as his voice lowered to a weak whisper. "I-It ist thee..." He scooted back, bumping against the wall and dropping some things from the bedside table. "It cannot be. I-I thought I had..." He shut his eyes closed and cowered away from the swirling shadows. "Oh, no, no, no...!"

The silhouette became a transparent form of Sombra. He stepped closer to Red Feather as he whimpered. "Hm. Why dost thou not bow in our presence? Hath thou forgotten thy manners, runt?"

Red Feather gritted his teeth as he stared at Sombra's form. He tried to turn around, but could not make his body move from the paralyzing fear. "P-Please... Please, just leave me be... Let me be! I-I escaped, thou cannot get to me here! I escaped thy rule and kingdom, now leave me alone!"

Sombra grinned grimly as he watched the frightened pegasus. "Thou escaped indeed, but thy friends were not as lucky. Thou wouldst not believe the resistance that they put against our torture, when We grew bored and decided to find out where thou were."

Red Feather gasped again as he shivered. _No, he did not... He could not have..._

"Thou must have left a plan with somepony-and thou didst-with quite some reliable pony friends of thine. We must commend them, but they still were not an obstacle for long, brave and determined as they were. Thou shouldst be proud of their will and loyalty. We suppose that wilt be all that remains of them."

Red Feather shook his head quickly. He could almost hear the pained screams of his friends. The ones that had so devotedly helped him plan and carry out his escape.

He had promised them he would find a way to help them out as they helped him. Most of them had families to support, families that they longed to liberate, too...

"N-No... Thou, thou didst not... Thou couldst not have...! No!" He held his hooves over his head, shaking violently with fear and shock. He glared up at Sombra with desperation and anger in his gray eyes. "What dost thou want from me?!"

Sombra laughed at Red Feather's breakdown. "How amusing. Only after thou hast endangered everypony here and in thy former kingdom... Only after THAT thou wilt yield to our demands? How ironic... Well, We wilt humor thee."

He appeared closer to Red Feather, making him jump and cry out slightly. "We want thee to return to the Crystal Empire and bow before us once again. Thou had the honor of being our servant, not a crystal miner or a test subject for our spells. Yet thou didst not like thine easy life, didst thee? Foolish ingrate."

The crystal pegasus cast his sad look down upon the floor. He was still shaking, both his body and his voice. "I-It ist so... so different here... The ponies... The princesses behave like true, considerate rulers... Why can thou not treat us like that?"

His pained look turned into a glare. He had to hold himself back from attacking the shadow, for he knew that he would only hurt himself. However, he did growl as he confronted the shadow king.

"Why... Why can thou not be a good leader to us?! What have we done to thee to deserve such cruelty and torture?! I don not want to return to thee and the hell that thou callest 'thy rule'. I do not want to go back, but I wilt not let my comrades suffer. I wilt not leave them to thy merciless cruelty, it ist not fair!"

Sombra chuckled a bit as he watched the pegasus and his rare, sudden fit of courageous determination.

Red Feather stomped his hoof on the floor. "Thou wilt see, King Sombra. Thou WILT be stopped. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wilt stop thee, and I will help them!"

Sombra's eyes glowed white as he summoned an air blast that wrecked the room, injuring Red Feather again in the process. He grinned as Red Feather looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes again.

"Thou wilt, now? Heh. Congratulations, fool. Thou hast just successfully declared war against us, upon this kingdom. Let us ask thee something, thou grandest fool of all... Dost thou truly believe that their ordinary stallions will match the Black Crystal monsters that We now have for guards?"

Red Feather limped back against the wall. "I... I... No... N-Not those...!" He looked aside nervously as he heard some nurse ponies approach. _No... This cannot be happening... Not to them...!_

Sombra laughed again as the shadows that had merged with Red Feather's inched closer to the pegasus. "We wilt see thee at the battle field, welp. Unless thou art yet again the coward that thou were when thou escaped the Empire. Hopefully thou shalt not leave THESE fools behind. We very much look forward to destroying thee along with them..." He vanished and Red Feather's shadow became normal once again.

He groaned a bit as he pushed himself up and wiped tears away from his eyes. He was still trembling a lot, frozen on the floor. All his previous hope was gone, and all he could think about was how he had betrayed and deserted his kind, at the Empire.

And how very much he wished he could just fly, or even run, away again...

_No, I cannot do that-I won't! I wilt not do it again, not to them. They do not deserve it. My Empire did not deserve it, either... My friends..._ He turned away. _I cannot abandon the princesses too, I have to stick by them... Regardless of what it wilt cost..._"I-I have to..."

"Sir Red Feather?"

"Sir Red Feather, ist everything well in there?"

He yelped as the nurses came in. He started to pant a bit as he scooted away from them.

Once again, they had a hard time calming him down as he began to hallucinate desperately. _Oh, no... What am I going to do...?!_ "L-Leave me alone! Leave! Just, just go! All of thee!"

"Red Feather!" One of the nurses grunted as she held him down while he was restrained.

"Quiet down, no need to get violent, Red Feather!" Another nurse looked at him worriedly as the doctor walked in and managed to calm him with the proper medicine.

The other nurse sighed and looked at Red Feather as he slowly relaxed, but still muttered while drifting off to sleep. "We better call the Princesses..."

The light violet, eldest of the young nurses shook her head. "No. We cannot disturb them, this ist one of the most important nights of the kingdom. The Princesses need to be at their very best." She fidgeted with her long, dark blue and purple mane.

The doctor walked in as Red Feather was carried into his bed. "I am glad thou were able to think so selflessly, Glitter Dawn."

The mare bowed her head and stepped back as the dark green unicorn doctor walked in, concentrated on the charts written on the clipboard.

"The kingdom ist still developing, alliance measures like this need to be taken. The Princesses trust us to be able to handle our guest, so we shalt do our best without disturbing them." He looked at the trembling pegasus. "We wilt need nurses to look after him, starting right now."

"I wonder just what shook him up like that."

"Methinks it was one of those nightmares again..."

The doctor turned back to look at them as he headed out the door. "Ladies. Please, our duty awaits."

The nurses blushed slightly and walked out of the room with him. Some of the group looked at the notes in their clipboards while others called some more of the staff for help with different tasks.

Red Feather groaned and opened his eyes a bit. "King Sombra... He ist... He wilt destroy this..." _I should at least warn them..._

He blinked when a gentle, smaller hoof touched his own. "H-Huh...?" He opened his eyes a bit more to see who had stayed behind with him. It was one of the younger nurses, apparently an apprentice or trainee.

She was a cute, friendly earth pony. Her mane was dark pink, almost red, in a short-cut style. The color of her coat was pale cerise, and her eyes were light spring green. Her cutie mark was a pink heart with a red cross behind it.

She looked like any typical nervous young mare that barely started her medical training. She had been too shy to speak up in the presence of the other experienced medical authorities, but now that she and the poor distressed patient were alone...

"P-Please do not let it worry thee. I... I know that thou must be going through a hard time... But, if thou dost not get good rest and get better... Thou wilt never be able to overcome it, sir..." She smiled at him as she sat down beside his bed.

Red Feather blushed slightly when he looked down at her and saw her kind smile. Then he groaned and held his head. "I... I am sorry. I..."

She nodded and held his shoulder encouragingly. "I understand. That tranquilizer wast rather something, wast it not?" She chuckled a bit.

Red Feather sighed and nodded quietly.

She pulled the blankets up to cover him. "Whatever it ist that troubles thee... Whatever it wast that made you come down here to seek help..." She looked up at him with a calm face. "We art sure that the Princesses, and even us, wilt not let thee down, Sir Red Feather. We wilt try our best to lend a very much needed helping hoof to thee."

"But... But everypony... I only... Thou hath not the slightest idea of what I... What I have just done... What have I done...?! Oh, I am so terribly, terribly sorry...!"

She frowned with confusion as he saw him stammer to himself. "Sir Red Feather..."

He wanted to face her properly, to at least apologize, but he could not fight the fatigue much longer. He closed his eyes as his breathing slowly began to even. "I am sorry..."

"Why dost thou apologize, sir?"

Red Feather covered his eyes with his leg as he spoke. _She wilt have to do..._ "Listen to me. Something bad... Something bad ist coming... Thou must... Thou must warn..."

She shook her head and covered his mouth with her hoof before he grew restless and agitated again.

Red Feather gave her a surprised look. _What art thou doing? No, thou must listen to-_

"All I care about now ist that thou restests properly, Sir Red Feather. Please do that for me. I am to be thy nurse for the night... Or at least for a few hours. I would like to show my mentors that I am doing a good job on my first night turn. Not only that, but it would be an honor to properly take care of thee too, sir."

He watched her as she talked with such a sweet and determined confidence and resolution... His trembling actually ceased; not because of the medicine that he had been given, but because of her words and her encouraging smile. It soothed him enough to calm down on his own.

"What... What ist thy name, young one...?"

She blushed at his question, then waved her hoof dismissively at his formality. "Oh, please... I am actually quite younger than the others, I just recently got my cutie mark, a few years ago, really..."

Red Feather raised an eyebrow as the nurse smiled again, proudly displaying her cutie mark, which expressed her passion and care for tending to the sick and needy. "Hm..."

"But my name is Pureheart. Nurse Pureheart." She sighed and shook her head with slight embarrassment. "Quite a mouthful, I know, but-"

"It ist... A very fitting name... I very much like it, Nurse Pureheart..." He turned over on his side, after he forced his eyes open to look at her one last time. He even managed a small hopeful smile for her. "Thou art doing... a fantastic job... I thank thee, and wilt support the with all my gratitude."

Young Nurse Pureheart stared at him, blushing a bit more after he finished complimenting her.

She thanked Luna's lovely stars that the dashing, adolescent patient was no longer conscious to watch her blush like a giddy school filly at every drowsy, wonderful compliment that he had given her before he finally drifted off to an easy sleep.

_Oh, dear... By Celestia, this ist unbelievable... Pureheart, get a grip! Why dost thou attend the Medical Wing of the Palace itself and claim to be a proper nurse worthy of such training..._

She shut her eyes closed with an agitated, flustered expression. _If thou wilt succumb to such foalish, immature behavior?! Oh, no, it cannot work like this, I have to do my best and act mature! Oh, but he ist just, so... So... So cute! A-And I am the one taking care of him! He said I was-what did he say? Oh, sweet princess, he complimented me!_

She then blushed brightly and cleared her throat as she tried to compose herself. _Focus! Focus, Pureheart, or thou wilt never make it to the 'Nurse' title!_ "I-I best get to work..." She took a deep breath and smiled nervously as she ordered the things that had been scattered around the room, during Red Feather's panic attack, while they were not present.

That reminded him of something he had said... She frowned a bit and looked back at the red crystal pegasus, just as he turned over and muttered something in his deep sleep.

"The 'bad' thing that he mentioned... I should probably tell the others..." She walked up to the bed to make sure that he was alright. "They will question him better, and find out more about this..."

She felt Red Feather's forehead, checked his wings, and vital signs, then smiled as he remained peaceful and out like a light. "I daresay this ist the best rest thou hast had in a long time... Hm, sir Red Feather?"

_He looks so tranquil like this... He must be having quiet, relaxing dreams right now, thanks to the medicine..._ She sighed and put her front hooves back on the floor after she made his pillows more comfortable. _I wish he could be this calm when he was awake, too... That thing he mentioned... If I tell the others, they wilt surely come to question him, to dispose of any doubts or fears... But..._

The nurse nuzzled Red Feather, then walked away from the bed after she turned on a night light. _That should keep nightmares away._

"I am supposed to do a good job. And doing a good job implies letting a patient get his rest. Thou wilt get all the rest thou needst, sir Red Feather. No interrogating disruptions until thou art better." She giggled and took the clipboard from the bed.

_I wilt not let anypony down tonight._ With that thought, she closed the door of the room gently and put the clipboard on the box by the door for the doctors to check later.

* * *

Upon hours of walking through a dark swamp, Sombra, followed by five black crystal guards, came upon an enormous cave that was nearly covered by green slime, and constantly echoed with a loud buzz through the whole area.

The crystal objects came to life once again and guarded Sombra from all sides as they made their way through the dark, swampy area and headed closer to the large cave.

Sombra breathed in the toxic air that surrounded them. He was unharmed, but still disgusted by the stench.

"She must know We art here by now... Damn, this place... Why of all of them did she have to choose something as repulsive as this?! Ugh, for a queen, she really has no class at all..."

He grimaced as he waded through the slime, then made another repulsed face. "Ugh. Guards! Clean this filth away! We art the Emperor of the Crystal Empire! Our royal presence hast no need for this disgusting-"

Before he even finished, two guards already waded through the dense slime and pushed away. They quickly cleared a path for him after the crystal pony guards vanished the green substance with their magic.

"Heh. That ist what We call efficiency. Now, let us move!"

Two non-pony servants walked over to meet them. They looked rather like insects with the figure of ponies. Their bodies were green and gray, with holes all over, their wings transparent, their eyes green.

The black crystal guards stepped aside but were on guard as the insects approached.

Sombra spoke calmly as he stared at the servants in front of them. "We art not here to start a fight."

The servants frowned a little as Sombra stepped forward. "..."

Sombra smiled a little as he sw their wary expressions. "We came for an audience with the queen. We have an offer that she would definitely interest her, for it ist quite a bargain."

The insect-like creatures looked at one another. One of them took the shape of the shadow king to speak. "And who're you, exactly?" He did not speak with the formality or way of speech of the times.

The species appeared to have speech customs of their own, for they were quite far away from both the Crystal Empire and the developing land that would be the kingdom of Equestria.

Sombra drew black magic from his horn and shot the untransformed creature with the blast. "One whose time would be wise not to waste."

The copy of Sombra shivered as the real king stepped closer to him and glared menacingly.

"We advise thee to drop thine act, if thou valuest thy disgusting life. We wilt not have filthy creatures like thee taking our form." He smirked as he watched the creature return to its original form. "Go inside and tell thy queen that King Sombra awaits at her entrance."

The creature frowned and stepped back as Sombra gave it orders. "..."

"Go! Foolish creature, if thou upsets us again, We wilt make sure thou regrets it! Thy species reproduce like insects, so We art sure that two casualties wilt not affect her." He glared at the cowering servant as he made his black, red-tipped horn glow again.

The queen of the insect-like creatures appeared in front of Sombra.

Her insect body resembled an alicorn's in figure. It was very dark grey, with green covering her back, where her transparent wings were placed. Her mane was dark cerulean, the color her eyes was bright green. Like her subjects, the queen's body also had holes, from her horn to her lower hooves. Even her mane and her wings were gnarled at the ends.

She pushed her servant away from the threat of Sombra's magic, then glared at Sombra himself as more of her subjects gathered behind her. "Thou art wrong, Sombra."

She stood at the steps of her lair, keeping her distance from the king and his guards "Unlike thee, We care for our children. And they in turn care for us quite well." She smiled at her subjects, then narrowed her eyes and turned back to the king. She stepped down as her servants fluttered behind her.

"Thou better propose something good, shadow king. Otherwise, thy bargain wilt be something entirely different to what thou came here for." Unlike her servants, she kept the traditional, formal ways of speech, since she was a queen, after all.

Sombra chuckled a bit as he stared at the queen. "We art honored with this audience, Queen Chrysalis. We have come with a warning for thee."

"Oh. A warning?" Her eyes narrowed again as she stared at him suspiciously.

"It ist a menace that threatens us both. Two menaces, really. The Sun and Moon Princesses, Celestia and Luna. We art sure thou rememberest them well."

Chrysalis grimaced at the mention of the alicorn princesses. The pathetic daughters of the wretched royal couple, of the wretched King that had banished her clan, the mighty Changeling Kingdom, to the filthy and shameful swamp lands beyond Froud Valley.

She hissed with hatred at the memory of the Sun King. "Those stupid little foals! Why would they be a threat to us?! They do not even have a kingdom of their own yet, they art absolutely pathetic!"

_Hm, the stories were right. The Changeling Queen really does hold a great deal of contempt and hatred in her heart. All towards the Princesses._ He grinned as he stepped closer to Chrysalis. _Excellent. Just what ist needed for us to win this upcoming war._

"We agree that the sisters art not... half, the glory that her parents used to be..."

The Changeling Queen hissed again. Her wings fluttering as she turned her hateful glare and anger upon Sombra. "GLORY?! What dost thou mean, 'glory'?! They were NOT glorious! If thou art as smart as thou claimest to be, _shadow king_, We suggest thou follow our advice and watch thy mouth!"

"Right, right... Forget the blasted subject. What We meant wast-"

She stomped her... holed hoof, forward to cut him off before he finished speaking. "Those sisters art nothing of a threat to us. They do not even know of us yet! Hah! Ignorants."

She paced around the damp ground, smirking to herself. "They only acknowledge what ist right below their petty little princess noses. Our domain ist not as... _popular_ in legend as thine. With unique crystal ponies, such an advanced kingdom and all." She gave him a look and raised an eyebrow.

"Heh. Very well, they art not a threat. They do not know of the Changeling Kingdom in full. But... What will happen once they do learn of thee?"

Chrysalis frowned as Sombra continued to speak in a casual manner.

"Creatures that feast on the love of others, that have the ability to camouflage as other creatures that art loved... Dost thou think that the princesses wilt not care about that? Like their parents before them, they wilt not just let all of thee be while thou endanger their kingdom."

Chrysalis gasped a little as the realization hit her. She growled and turned to look at the king again.

"The threat of the Love Destroyer ist too much, it overshadows the rest of the Changeling nature. They are seen as nothing but monsters everywhere, and hath never been given the chance to show otherwise. The Princesses will never understand what thou art, even as they destroy thee. All they will need to know ist that thou art dangerous, which wilt be followed by an attack. A strong attack against the Changeling Kingdom. That wilt be rather quick."

Chrysalis looked down, and shivered a bit. She remembered when the Changelings were rounded up by a young King and Queen.

A little white filly, barely older than a newborn foal, laid behind the couple with her caretakers as the royals confronted the Changelings.

Chrysalis herself had not been much older than that royal filly. She had been surrounded by her kind as well. She remembered clearly how frightened she had been. She cried the whole time as she cowered behind the fierce, hateful warrior that was her mother.

The strong, blinding attack from the royal couple was the last she remembered of any life she might have had outside the swamps and the Changeling Cave. Everything else, every other moment of her life, she had lived it in those wastelands, hating the ponies, their rulers, but most of all, their emotions.

Sombra stood right before the queen as she hissed and growled again. He looked up at her with a serious expression. "By the time they learn about thee, their armies of gold-wearing stallions wilt be at full force. No forest, mountain or swamp will be too small for their power lust."

She looked aside as he made shadowy silhouettes appear in the air, showing her a powerful army of crystals and Changelings combined.

"But... If we formed a union and attacked when they art still weak... We could easily crush them, Queen Chrysalis. Their kingdom and subjects would be ours, and we would finally do what we wished with them."

Chrysalis eyed him suspiciously again. She was full of hatred and thirst for revenge, but she was no fool. "Thy statements art interesting. But We know there ist a catch." She turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. "What dost thou want from us?"

Sombra chuckled and bowed his head a bit. "Only a union between our armies. Our black crystal soldiers sided with thy Changelings. Aid the war on our side, and thou wilt see profit for thee and thy... children."

Chrysalis continued to stare at him before she smiled a little. "Very well. We wilt help thee."

She walked beside him and smirked. "We want thee to know, however, that We art not the kind to trust our allies, Sombra. As soon as We suspect anything... We wilt desert thee and take what ist ours."

"And leave us to our own, even after we have formed this union?"

Chrysalis laughed a bit. "Of course! After all... How hard can it be to beat two pathetic little fillies? If thou lieth to us, thou wilt have to find out for thyself." She glanced at him. "Art We understood?"

"Yes, of course-"

"And another thing." She smiled a little and pointed at the other changelings. "Our subjects wilt be free to feed on some of thine. We want servants and ponies of the Empire alike. Thou they art all servants, according to thee. In truth, really, we want the emotions of thine subjects to feed us while we succeed and beat the young princesses. We have to eat, after all."

Sombra sighed and nodded. "With our victory, Queen Chrysalis... Every Canterlot mare, stallion, filly and colt wilt be thine to feed on. We guarantee that."

He displayed an image through a portal, the image of the Everfree Forest. "All have heard of this forest. Thou as well, We presume. Our soldiers art already there. A ball ist celebrated in the city of Canterlot tonight. They wilt be too tired in the following days to fight us back efficiently. Rendezvous thy troops with ours, and our deal shalt be made."

Chrysalis nodded as she stared at the image of the forest. She raised her head to look at Sombra as he turned to leave with his guards.

"We wilt meet thee there in the morning in two days' time, Queen Chrysalis. We shalt expect a quick victory." With that, Sombra and his soldiers marched away from the cave.

Chrysalis smiled a little as she watched the image through the portal vanish. "Very well... Thou hath heard, our dears. We art to make a trip tomorrow. It appears as though our chance to sabotage Canterlot has finally been granted..."

The changelings followed her back to the cave. She did not say another word until she was sure that Sombra had left. She wanted to share the intimate, joyous moment of vengeance with her beloved and loyal subjects alone.

She looked up at a bright green, glowing cocoon that held the body of a female changeling inside. The silhouette of the body seemed very similar to Chrysalis.

"You see, Mother? I knew there would be no need to risk any more of our members. The chance would come to us sooner or later, we just had to be patient. Always patient."

She looked at her subjects as they stepped closer to her. "At last, the opportunity to rise against that blasted royal family has come! Maybe we didn't get the pleasure to end the King and Queen, but their daughters will be more than enough."

"Their precious daughters will suffer the wrath of the Changeling Queen and her subjects! For we are NOT to be banished and forgotten... That'll be the Sun King's mistake to pay for... With his beloved descendants' blood!"

The Queen turned to look to all of the changelings that awaited eagerly. "My children, we won't show mercy in this battle! We will be ruthless to them-just like they were to our parents, our ancestors, and us! King Sombra doesn't matter, he is only our way to get what we truly want. What we seek is revenge that we seek. The sweet, glorious taste of revenge!

The changeling subjects all clopped their holed hooves as loudly as they could in excited response to Chrysalis' speech. They hissed and buzzed in rejoiced agreement to their beloved queen's words.

* * *

WOW... VERY LONG DESCRIPTION... _But of you all I beg...~_ To um, be kind to this poor soul who busts her time and eyesight working for the enjoyment of you people...

Long title is long (well, I actually shortened it a bit). Couldn't think of anything more fitting that was shorter. But there probably must be another one...

Phew! Quite an update this was! You've definitely got to reread it. I'm sorry I'm making you go through this, reading all the chapters again, but I come up with the most spontaneous of ideas at the most random of times... As you can see with this chapter. I mean, really, at first it was simply Sombra taunting the underdeveloped Red Feather (characterwise, of course), then the whole brief alliance with Chrysalis. All that turned into Red Feather's frightened adorable character developing just a teeny tiny bit, into a conversation with an equally adorable young nurse. THEN the more elaborated alliance in which I show a theory that might not have been approached very much... The Canterlot Princesses' parents being responsible for the Changelings' exile many, many years ago.

About Red Feather's scene... Um... Might be some romantic stuff involved with him and the young nurse. And yes, she's an ancestor, if anybody eventually feels like making that question. And yes, she's Nurse Redheart's ancestor, if anybody feels like asking that later as well. I had trouble deciding whose ancestor she would be. I mean, somehow Derpy and Dinky came into my mind.

But then, if Red Feather was going to get romantically involved with anypony, I couldn't see it being with the Hooves. Or Dos. I love them, they're so sweet and friendly (and people, lay off with the 'Ditzy/Derpy needs to go!' Seriously. All that poor little thing did to you was... nothing. She doesn't even know you mean people out there exist. That's just horrible. This is my taking on the whole 'Derpy Leaving' subject. Since I'm seeing it so much), but I didn't see Red Feather's character fitting in with their bubbly personality. Red Feather's a poor timid, traumatized soul that just wouldn't warm up to anypony, and if he did, it would be very, very, very, VERY slowly. And by that point, Red Feather would just rather leave them be rather than to have them waiting on him till he's ready to open up.

I looked for another known background pony that could be applied into the medical profession, and all I came up with was that mentioned Nurse Redheart, so there you go. I explained all of this because... Um... Red Feather might get into something romantic with Nurse Pureheart. Or if not, platonic closeness. That, might develop into something romantic over time. And generations (crystal ponies DO have a long lifespan...)

And then Chrysalis' past. Ooh, boy, that was good. Kind of makes me throw in an in-between story detailing everything that I spontaneously came up with. Jist of it: Celestia's parents immediately realized that the changelings were a threat (Changelings, in my take, were naturally born that way, by the way. Or, created that way from the 'Dark Land' [Later explained. Dark Land/Dimension thing]. They're not, you know, ponies that mutated into insect things out of jealousy, or a burst of negative feelings, or magic or whatnot) to their beloved and peace-longing citizens. They had to take action rather fast, because Chrysalis' mom, boy, was she feisty and was she greedy. More so than her daughter. So Sombra was right in a way, they couldn't afford to get to know the changelings better, not even the baby ones, otherwise their kingdom might've gone up into the hive.

So... No Discord, Celestia, or anypony else here! Except for the villains. And Red Feather and nurses. This chapter obviously talks about Sombra finally scheming up a large-scale attack on the kingdom that is to become Equestria. Oh, Red Feather, what hast thine escape triggered?! I really, really am becoming more fond of him... That's dangerous... 'Smaking me want to make his own mini series, the more development I try to give him... For an artist that can't draw extra development and mini series that is very, very dangerous... **Because then you kind of lose what little appreciators you finally get for the worth of the many bloody work hours and sacrifices.** Too many words, you know. (Sigh) Those of you that can draw so well... Boy, how I envy you...


	10. First Social Event

**First Social Event**

There were royal guards on duty everywhere; at the entrance of the city, the palace, by the sides of the stairs, near the throne room, everywhere everypony turned was guarded by the Princesses' escorts and soldiers. They bore serious faces as the guests arrived and immediately began to mingle in the ball.

Although they remained stern and devoted to their occupation, they did not disturb the entertainment of the guests or make anypony uncomfortable with their silent, dutiful character. Some of them were actually quite friendly when the occasion called for it.

Servants shuffled about around the palace. They made sure that the service was as excellent as it could ever be. Nopony would leave the palace with complaints of any unheeded request. The ball event was a night that would be remembered down to the very last and smallest of detail.

Entertainers had great success with their finest tricks and acts, gaining the guests' appraise with each display. The night of the Royal Ball was the most important and entertaining in the Princesses' kingdom. Everypony-even the guests-gave their best performance, to ensure everything went well.

An earth pony announcer walked to the bottom of the stairs, in front of the crowd. He cleared his throat before he spoke with a loud, clear tone. The music ceased once he clopped his hoof on the marble floor, so that the guests' attention could be focused on him as he spoke.

"Our most esteemed mare and gentlecolt guests, allow me to make an announcement for the night. The moment that thou hath all awaited hast come. It is an honor to present to thee the fair young princesses of this promising land. Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna, of the city of Canterlot!"

As the ponies greeted the princesses with applauses and praises, the young princesses smiled at each other and walked down the stairs together.

Celestia's white, glittering gown was radiant. Its original color was a glowing white, but it seemed to emit all other bright tones of colors. The effect made Celestia seem as though she herself glowed as well. She wore gold jewelry to match her clothes.

Luna wore a beautiful dress that gleamed with a silver hue off the blue and purple fabric of silk. With every movement, the dress seemed to flow like water, giving her a great gliding effect. She wore silver jewelry to compliment her marvellous outfit.

Celestia let out a surprised chuckle as she stared at the crowd that awaited them. "I did not expect so many to come to this. It has only been a few years since we started the kingdom here."

Luna smiled timidly as she walked to her seat. "They must be as excited as us, sister. We art sure Mother and Father would be proud of what we have accomplished so far."

"Of course! I have not seen so many noble guests in a while, only our parents could accomplish something like this, until now. It will be really special." She looked up at the other side of the ball room. _Very, very special... More than a political affair, this ball will truly be fun, and an opportunity for them to know Wilder._

She allowed the party to go on after she and her sister acknowledged the guests and thanked them for their attendance. After a while, she decided that the final introduction for the night was due to be brought about.

"Before we go on, my sister and I would like to introduce a friend that we have met recently, but that has given Luna and me great and sincere amusement and company. We hope that he will continue to make us laugh, and grace you with his remarkable talents tonight."

She looked past the ponies again, then pointed at a spot with her hoof. She smiled when everypony immediately turned to look at that place. "All right, Wilder. If you would be so kind as to come on over with us, you are most welcome."

The ponies looked at each other when they found nothing and nopony at the spot that Princess Celestia had signaled. They whispered among themselves, but not for long, for something else distracted them.

Wilder made his appearance after a flash of bright light. He smiled excitedly at the crowd of startled ponies. Once the light died down, he spoke loud and clearly, despite the surprised muttering of the crowd.

"Well, hello, everypony! My name's Wilder. I'll be tonight's party entertainer. Don't worry, you're gonna have a blast unlike you ever have before!" He laughed and snapped his fingers.

The drinks that rested at the table in the room took the forms of different, colorful fish. They swam in the air as he directed them carefully. He snapped his fingers again to make all the guests' hats disappear, then and top them all over his own head in a tower. "Let's see..."

Celestia and Luna laughed a bit as they watched him, while the guests talked excitedly among themselves and clopped their hooves at his display.

Wilder continued with the show as he manipulated the fish all around the room. He made them flip in the air, close to the guests, before they glided over in his direction. After he lined up the fish in front of him, he removed the lowest hat from the pile in his head. "Okay, we're getting there..."

He held the hat in his claws and made all the fish swim inside it. After a shake, the hat let out sparks of all glowing colors that vanished into glitter. He then returned the hats to their owners and took a bow afterwards. "Alright, there! How'd you like that, everypony?"

Celestia smiled and looked around after the hats returned to their owners. She was pleased to see that all of the guests had enjoyed the performance, and asked for more.

Wilder smirked as he watched the ponies. They were genuinely delighted by his talents by then, not freaked out by his appearance or strange antics. They wanted to see more, and that thrilled him to no end.

"Heh. How's that for an opening." He glanced at the princesses from the corner of his eye to see their reaction. Then he blushed slightly when he noticed the... divine appearance that both of the sisters had.

Celestia looked particularly delightful that night. The radiance of the dress was only complementary.

"W-Wow..." He looked at the princesses from top to bottom. They seemed quite at ease as they chatted with the guests every so often. He could tell that they put their all into entertaining and keeping them satisfied (though he didn't know or care about the reasons for the princesses to trouble themselves).

He smirked and decided that he would do his very best, too. And his best he did, putting on the flashiest, most entertaining show that he could create. He made sure that the entertainment was good, 'proper', and unique enough to keep the guests thrilled.

It barely took minutes for Wilder and his special magic to become the talk of the party. Nopony could get enough of his performances and tricks. It was not only his magic that enthralled them, it was also his amazing, energetic sense of humor that made them laugh and enjoy themselves, too.

"Phew! That was what I call putting on a show." He smiled with satisfaction after he saw the ponies talk endlessly and point and glance at him every so often.

_Got everypony wrapped up around my claw, in hardly fifteen minutes flat. How's that for a show, ponies?_

Celestia smiled at him and held her hoof up in appraise once she approached him. "An impressive show, Wilder. Your magic truly is remarkable, everypony seems to agree with me. The more I witness it, the more I love it. But my sister and I have told you that before already. It is now the rest of our guest that seem to agree with us. I am glad that you decided to stay with us. You will be a great citizen for our kingdom."

Wilder chuckled a bit and scratched the back of his head. "Well, thanks, I'm glad to be here, too."

"But, you know what I am the most glad of? That you are having fun, and sharing your enjoyment and happiness with everypony else."

Luna watched her sister as she spoke, then turned to Wilder to speak to him herself. "Yes, We art sure that when the time comes, thy magic wilt do great in our defense. No enemy wilt stand a chance if they dare threaten and oppose us, thanks to thy help."

"Well, yeah! That's what we want, we want all the mean guys to know they shouldn't mess with us!" He patted Luna's head with a smirk. "Right?"

Luna laughed a bit after she brushed her mane back in place. "Thy presence turned out to be a great complement to this land, Wilder." She bowed her head to show her gratitude and sincerity in her usual serious manner. "We art thankful to thee as well."

"Thank you, thank you, my princesses. I sure am glad my talents were not impeded, and that I bestowed fun upon everypony." He took a bow again after he spoke as properly as possible. He looked up at the table with drinks and food, and moved his tail to perform a spell. Two porcelain cups appeared before the princesses. "How 'bout a drink?"

Celestia looked up at him and giggled. "Why, thank you, Wilder. How kind of you."

Luna looked at them, then at the dance floor. She smiled a little and nudged Celestia with her hoof. "Sister, We believe it ist time to join the dance."

Wilder floated closer to Luna as he tapped her head with his claw. "Will you try dancing, Luna? A ball isn't a ball if _both_ of the princess hostesses don't join the dance."

Luna blushed a bit and tried to step away. "W-Well, if We must... But We really art not very good at it..." She sighed with a bit of frustration as she saw that he had already started doing silly movements, making everypony around him laugh again.

"See? It's fun! C'mon, let's go together!" He pulled a protesting Luna down with him, giving her no chance to finish any objections she might have had.

He smirked down at her as he made the youngest princess face him while standing in the center. "Okay, let's do this! Look at 'em, all watching us, isn't it exciting?! I'll make them laugh their cutie marks off!"

Luna covered her face with her wing as she watched Wilder bounce around her. She was too shy and embarrassed to even try to follow suit, but figured that she would have no other choice, if she wanted to at least try to blend in to avoid further embarrassment.

So she gingerly started to dance to what she did know of the music, though her attempts did not last long. Soon she was just staring at Wilder with an indignant look.

Celestia sighed as she watched Wilder entertain everypony. Soon he would become the center of attention for the ball, as he had easily won everypony's appraise and fascination. He enjoyed being the source of their laughter above all else. The music was perfect to encourage him, too.

Before she could walk away, though, he appeared from behind her and held her in place. He smiled and placed his claw and paw on her shoulders. "What's doin'?"

Celestia blinked and looked at him with a small smile. "Oh. Were you not busy a minute ago?"

"Yep. You should see Luna. She's quite the dancer once she puts her mind to it!" He looked back at the dance floor, though of course, Luna was no longer there.

"Oh? And I assume you made her put her mind to it."

Wilder shrugged and proceeded to explain calmly, smiling every so often. "Just a bit. I simply reminded her of the first game we played together, the very first time we met. She seems to have quite fond memories of it, just like I do."

"I can imagine she does."

"Yeah! She started dancing right away until I got bored of it all." He laughed as he remembered his little mischief with Luna. "But they all loved her little dance! I don't know why she's so self-conscious."

Celestia couldn't help but giggle a bit, though she gave what she hoped was a disapproving look at her laughing friend. "You really are mischievous."

Wilder nodded as he acknowledged her comment as a compliment. He took her hoof and tugged a bit. "Come on, join me in this dance. It'll be fun, let's go."

Celestia blushed a bit. "Huh? But, you just said you were-"

"So I'll give it another go, doesn't matter. It'll be entertaining again, once you join me." He made his way to the dance floor with her despite her attempts to protest.

Once they were nearly in the middle, he looked at her expectantly.

He knew she would not have room to refuse once they were right in the dance floor... A thought that turned quite literal as couples made their way around them to dance together.

"Well, Celestia?"

She blushed a bit more as she noticed the tempo of the music that everypony had gathered around for. "But, Wilder, this... This is slow dancing."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Hm? And what does that ever-"

She smiled and gently pointed to the other pony couples that danced fluently around them.

Thankfully, neither of the guests around them had stopped to gawk at them, but minded their own business and couple dancing instead.

Wilder blushed when he understood what she tried to say. "Oh." _Slow dancing. The couples. It's... **romantic** dancing? I barely know about it... But... It's still dancing, b-but why is it so different from before? What's it mean...?_

He glanced at Celestia and shrugged questioningly.

"B-But, we do not have to do it, if you do not want to. It was your idea, but if you do not feel up to it, I understand. I am getting tired, anyway. I-I think it is best-" She blushed when she realized that she was babbling irrationally.

_Why am I talking so much about something that just become so... so pointless?! Oh..._

She could not make sense of it; why did she start blabbering again?

Wilder shook his head as he ignored Celestia's nervous excuses, much to the young Sun Princess' relief. "Nah, come here. It was my idea."

He quickly pulled her closer to dance. A bit too hard, he realized, for he tugged Celestia right up close to him. He blushed and Celestia blushed even brighter.

She could only stare at him as they remained frozen in their two-legged standing position for a few seconds, still close together. "Um..."

"S-Sorry-" He took one small step back to put proper distance between them, then raised an eyebrow when she turned away to hide her deeper blush.

"It's alright." She spoke very quickly, and moved a bit awkwardly at first.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Wilder finally got the courage to mutter out a question to her. "Um... H-Hey... Celestia..."

"Yes?"

He gave her a bit of a look, feeling embarrassed. "Don't get any ideas." He glanced aside with a slight frown on his face. "We're just friends dancing, alright?"

Celestia cleared her throat. "Wh-What kind of ideas would I get, Wilder?"

"Well... Huh... I-I don't know. Just felt like saying that." He looked around at the dancers as he tried to gather his thoughts correctly. He felt even worse when he found himself rambling that time. "But, we're all friends, just dancing here, right? Dancing together, all friendly and all? 'Cause-"

Celestia sighed and smiled up at him. "Yes, Wilder, we are just friends dancing. It is okay. You are doing very well." She decided to change the awkward subject. "You are a very good dancer, by the way."

"Ah, comes with the trade, Celestia. A spirit of fun's got to have some moves in him, right? Heh, heh." He arched his eyebrows and grinned at her.

Celestia chuckled as they spun around. When the music stopped, she found herself sort of wishing for another song to come up. She did not know exactly why, but... It felt great to be there, dancing with him, so close together as the music played.

It was a nice sensation that she had never felt before. Her heart had skipped a few beats during the dance-she had never felt so thrilled, yet relaxed at the same time.

Whenever she looked at him while they moved, she found herself blushing, her movement getting a bit off for just a few seconds from her nervousness. It did not matter that they did not dance anymore, so long as it was still something that they did together. Whatever music came next would be excellent, so long as he was her dancing partner.

Before she could propose anything, however, Wilder quickly released her and brushed his mane back nervously as she stepped back. "Um... Th-That was fun."

She nodded in agreement while she fidgeted with her front hooves. "Very."

He looked at her as they moved forward, out of the dance floor. "Let's go get some snacks. Things are great around here, you've got very good cooks!"

"Oh, liking the organic stuff, are you?" She chuckled as she stepped closer to him.

Wilder licked his lips when they approached a table with several dishes that had been carefully arranged for the guests. "Sure! They're just as good as painted glass."

He started eating some of the fancy dinner pieces. He winked at Celestia, who giggled at his delighted expression.

The ball continued through the night. At due time, the guests departed, entirely pleased with the most special and entertaining ball that the young princesses had hosted for them.

They all left assuring the princess their definite alliance for their kingdom, ensuring no less than the best of their recommendations to their fellow ponies back at their home.

Luna bowed her head as she and Celestia received the appraise and compliments of the departing guests. "Thank thee, we appreciate thy help. We art glad the night was to thy liking."

Celestia nodded at a small group of talking ponies that made their way out the door. "Thank you for your cooperation. Yes, I will let Wilder know that was your preferred display. He will appreciate it, too. Yes, thank you very much. We hope you are well, too. Have a safe night."

Once everything was over, Wilder wandered around the palace, searching for Celestia. "That was some party... I wonder if there's still ponies to say goodbye to. Heh, serves the princesses right for throwing such a big party night! Hopefully many of them won't stay over, though. I had enough entertainment for the night, don't need the morning, too... Now, where's that Celestia? I swear, this place is huge, can't find anypony..."

Celestia covered her mouth with her hoof as she yawned after bidding farewell to the remaining guests. She looked at Luna as her little sister ordered some servants to escort a few more to empty rooms in the palace, as they would stay for the night and a few days.

"Well, I think this is enough for me, Luna. I will go to bed now."

Luna nodded once she looked back at her. "Of course, sister. Bid thee good night."

"You too. I am glad you had fun. Everything turned out great, did it not?"

"Indeed. This ball must certainly be the best we have hosted in years. Everypony was so satisfied and amused through the event." Luna smiled a little. "Even us, sister. We never thought we would enjoy ourselves like we did during this night."

Celestia smiled and held Luna back as she reached out to hug her. "Yes. I will let Wilder know about that. He had a great part in our success. See you tomorrow, Luna."

After Luna left to the balcony, Celestia made her way through the long, decorated halls. She remembered that she had some studies to do. "Oh, right... Well, a little reading before bed will not hurt, it has to get done anyway... Might as well enjoy it."

She blinked when she saw Wilder looking around. She smiled and made her way over to him. "What is it you are looking for? A place to sleep?"

_Well, not exactly..._ He stretched as he floated in the air. "Ngh...! Ah, that felt good. Wow. For the first time in days I feel the need to sleep. That's weird."

He floated on his back, right beside her as she continued her walk. "Tonight was SO exhausting! So much fun and performances, geez! I gotta say, I surprised even myself with all this. I certainly did outdo myself, didn't I." He smiled a little as she laughed.

"You did a very good job tonight. Luna and I are grateful for your-"

"Oh, c'mon, it was nothing! Just me showing the ponies how to have real fun, is all." He smirked smugly. "But, you know... All those compliments do sound very nice, coming from you."

"Heh, heh. Oh, stop it, Wilder. You're making me blush."

"Well, you look adorable when you blush!"

"Oh, you. Listen, Luna's out and will be busy her duties, so I will be the one to show you to the guest room that was assigned to you. I am sure you will like it, I assigned it with your preferences in mind."

"The princess herself is going to walk me, all the way to my room? Oh, what an honor!"

"It is the least I can do, after all your help tonight. And, Wilder, I am just walking you to your room so you can rest. I am feeling rather tired myself. The room is on the way to the library, and I do have some studies I need to get to, so there. Come along."

She led him to the guest chambers after a short while. His room was all ready to be used.

She had ordered the room to be spacious, considering that he would appear his own form of entertainment when in the room. The bed was also big, neatly made. It seemed quite comfortable.

The windows were clear crystal, with thick curtains that fluttered slightly with the wind. Though there was no balcony outside, the room still had a nice, clear view to the palace grounds, the gardens, and the land around the palace, where ponies made their lives in the early kingdom.

"This is it. I hope it is to your liking, Wilder. It was prepared rather quickly, so there might be some-"

Wilder jumped on the bed and stretched himself again, cracking a few bones. "Oh, this bed is _so_ plush! The room is nice, but you're right. It does need some retouching."

"Oh, is that so, Mr. Decorator? I will let the others know that-"

"Don't worry, there will be a few details of my own in the morning. I'll add them myself! After all, I'm the one who knows me better, right?" He chuckled at his own joke.

Celestia smiled and shook her head. "Very well, then. I must leave you and get to my studies now. It is quite late, and I still have to get some sleep." She started to turn around towards the door.

He stopped for a moment and turned back to Celestia. "Wait, you said... studies... As, in a library?"

"Yes, that is what I said. We have plenty of books, as you may have noticed. Even in the villages around the palace, where libraries have already been constructed. Knowledge is the most important thing to have within a civilization, after all. But no library beats the one we have here at the palace."

Wilder smiled a little at the princess' pride. "You don't say."

"Yes. It is already quite vast, as my parents and their colleagues worked very hard to document everything that they learned from their past rule. They wanted Luna and me to be as prepared as possible for when our time came to take their position. I reckon they did quite a good job."

"I'd like to see that library someday. Even though it doesn't sound like the most fun place in the world..."

"Well, I will be glad to show you. We have already made a few contributions of our own. We have tried to turn our research and findings into proper additions to our parents' work."

"Oh, heh, heh. Learning already, princess?" He folded his arms as he leaned back against the bed.

"And plenty, at that! One never stops learning. With the advancing of the land and our kingdom, I am sure we will learn even more, and more will be available in our library. There will be so much to see and discover, I am glad Luna and I will have a new friend to keep us company and discover everything with."

Wilder smiled brightly as he watched her look out the window. "You are?"

"Of course, Wilder. I do not usually lie. It will be our pleasure to have you learn at our side."

He glanced aside with the smile still on his face. _That's... great..._

"But for now, I must get to those studies, tonight. We will talk about the pride and joy of Knowledge in our kingdom later, I promise. I will see you in the morning, Wilder." She bowed her head a bit to him, then turned around to open the door.

"Wait, Celestia!" He looked down and nervously fidgeted with his tail, suddenly unsure of what to say. "Um... Do you think that maybe... Well... You think that, like... Maybe some book or other at the library has information about my existence?" He looked up at her with a worried expression.

She stopped when he finished his question, then looked back at him after a few seconds.

She had never seen that worried expression in him before. She had not seen him worried at all, since the short time that they had known each other-which already felt quite long.

"Your... existence?" She realized that in the time they had been friends, all the time that they had spent together, she had never questioned anything about his appearance or existence, not even to herself.

She had only done so, and at a very minimum, at the very start of their meeting, but she soon put those doubts aside when she befriended him, never gave those questions another thought until that moment.

She started to wonder if that had been right or wrong of her to do. Clearly, Wilder did wonder about himself, so why hadn't she, to ease some of his worries?

How rude she had been for never expressing interest in something that he appeared to find quite concerning. She would make up for it and do her best to comfort him while remaining truthful to him nonetheless. He would want honesty after all, right?

"Well... I really am not sure, Wilder. But, since I am going to the library already, I promise I will read through as many books as I can. Maybe I can find something then. I will try hard."

Wilder looked down again. "Yeah... A-Alright." He sighed and smiled at her despite his disappointment. "Thanks, Celestia. I appreciate the help."

She raised an eyebrow when she noticed that he had not been satisfied with her answer. _Not that I blame him, though. I would not be calm or easily reassured, either... If I was in his position._

So she walked back into the room and stopped beside the bed to give him a small, reassuring smile that made him seem a bit surprised and puzzled.

"You know... Now that you, Luna and I have gotten to know each other better, and have spent all this time together... It does really not matter to me anymore, what you are, where you came from. It only matters to me that you are Wilder; our friend, my friend."

"Just... 'Wilder'? But, c'mon, surely you..."

Celestia shook her head and put her hoof on his paw as she continued. "As for where you are from... You know what? If we do not find anything soon, you can just say that you are from this land. My friend, you are now a proud citizen of the land of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Both Luna and I will be more than happy to second that any time."

"Th-That's all fine, thank you, really. But, Celestia, what I need to-"

She gently booped his nose with her hoof and chuckled slightly. "Stop worrying about that so much."

_What...?_ Wilder blinked, then looked at her other hoof as she placed it on his shoulder.

"It does not matter what or who you are, but what _makes_ you so. That is what I have been taught by my parents and teachers, and I adhere to that." She took a deep breath as she worked up her courage.

Seconds later, the princess smiled again and kissed his cheek, then stepped down with a slight blush on her face. "Now, sleep well, my dear friend."

She laughed a bit as she walked to the door again. "By the way, thank you for not making puppy ponies out of any of my guests tonight. I appreciate that you saved us that trouble."

Wilder opened his eyes wider and stared ahead as Celestia walked out of the room.

He just sat still on the bed for a few minutes, still quite surprised and shocked by her approach. A blush that he attempted to hide crept over his face.

"You... You're welcome... Celestia." He shook his head to snap out of his shock, then laid down on the big, comfortable bed, unsure of what else to think about, or if he would even be able to sleep.

"M-My first party here... Heh... It went rather well... Didn't it...?" He muttered to no one in particular as he stared at a few cushions and pillows that he had levitated from the bed. He did not notice when he turned all the fluffy pillows into stuffed animals that came to hyperactive life for a brief moment.

He felt as though he could burst into a million fireworks for some unknown reason, yet could not bring himself to move past a few shivers. He was still rather shocked by what had just happened, but thrilled at the same time.

So many thoughts rushed through his head, but he did not even bother to sort through them anymore; he just let them fly by and wander as he tried to pull himself together while enjoying every second of his unknown and perfect feeling.

It suddenly occurred to him that he had not shown the fireworks display to the ponies. "Hm, I wonder why..."

He thought for a bit before coming to a conclusion that made him blush again. "I... I wanted to save those for... Celestia... And I did... Those will be for her, always, she liked them the most..."

He started bouncing on the bed again as he thought of Celestia's favorite creations. "Ohh, boy, pink lemonade and fireworks, how great will that be! Hers forever, she'll be real pleased!"

He quieted after a little while, not wanting to cause a racket. He sighed and made himself comfortable again, though he was certain he would not be sleeping for a while.

* * *

This has been so far one of my favorite chapters! Oh, but the one that's coming, in my opinion, will actually be a bit better than this one. And I finally finished the edit, too! Took me long enough.

The RP section of this part was actually much shorter and lacked so much interaction between the characters. Rather vague, as the other war plot came after this. But, with the RP becoming a fanfiction story, I decided to tweak it and improvised all the interaction! I think I did a great job. Wilder and Celestia, so awkward, him showing off, way too cute. Maybe I should have put a bit more of Luna in there... But she's timid, and well, gatherings aren't really her thing. I haven't seen her in any of the Grand Galloping Galas, so I figured she wouldn't make much of a scene in the ball, either.

I really liked Celestia comforting Wilder. Quite a powerful scene. Her pride in the library at the palace was adorable. She and Wilder quite don't realize that they like each other yet. Wilder doesn't even know about any deeper relationship than 'friendship', as you can see. Not yet. But he sure got thrilled with that kiss, didn't he.


	11. Magic Showdown of Laughter

**Magic Showdown of Laughter**

Celestia yawned and stretched herself as the time to raise the sun drew nearer. She sleepily looked out the window at the dark sky.

Luna was already halfway through lowering the moon, so she had to get started with sunrise soon.

"Alright, then..." The princess stepped out to the balcony and relaxed as she breathed in the early morning air. "Ahh... I bet this will be a good morning and day..." She looked down at the kingdom while her horn glowed with her golden magic.

She could already see the faint, light colors that the sky gained when the sun slowly raised. With the first few shines of sunlight, the land began to warm up and lighten with its glow.

_Sunrises are always so beautiful, are they not...? Especially just when night and day are still blended together... Not quite separated yet..._

Once the sky became a bit brighter, Celestia looked down from the balcony again and noticed Luna as she walked into the palace to get her rest. "Have good dreams, my little sister." Her wings raised and stretched before she shook them. "...I will get right to work."

* * *

Wilder slept on the branch of a tree near the palace. His body was stretched out on the branch; his lion arm held his head like a pillow, while his eagle claw hung limply from the other side of the branch.

His snores turned into a snort and he stirred awake. "Ngh..." Dim light had shone on the tree and upon him, quietly waking him up despite his grumbling.

He yawned and muttered sleepily while he rubbed his eyes. "Ohh... Morning already...?" He then stretched while still standing on the branch.

_Geez, it's too early for sunshine... Sort of wish little Luna adhered to her beloved duties a bit longer..._ He blinked, then looked around at the tree and the ground beneath him. "Hey, wait a sec. How'd I get here?" He chuckled after a few seconds and shrugged his own question off. "Ah, who cares."

He slithered down the tree and ate some bushes that he turned into cotton candy. "Mmm... Yeah. Nothing beats sweet, sugary cotton in the morning."

After drinking from a pond nearby, Wilder leaned over and looked at the clear water that reflected everything above it as well as a mirror. He tilted his head as he studied his reflection. "...Hm..."

It was not the first time he noticed that he looked completely different from the other creatures around him; the 'ponies'. It made him curious whenever he stopped for a moment of each day to think about the great differences that separated him and the creatures of the world where he tried to fit in.

He thought about how attractive some of the stallions around the kingdom were; particularly those that had the honor to visit the princesses for business matters. 'Suitors', some of them were called. He did not like either of those visiting stallions, but had to admit that they were all mostly handsome.

"...I wonder why I wasn't made like that." Wilder raised an eyebrow as he thought about that subject, but not for long. Before he could think anything else about the matter, sunrise touched the area again and warmed him while he sat and enjoyed the view.

The light spread out over the palace and the villages, and did not exclude the shady spot where Wilder sat. The sunlight caught the puddle where he had observed himself, but Wilder did not notice. The reflective surface shone the light into his eyes.

He winced and shook his head quickly after the light blinded him for a few seconds. "Oww! I swear... Why does every bright thing in here have to be so... so painful and-and glowing...?!" He rubbed his eyes with his paw while he complained quietly.

His ears twitched when he heard somepony move above him. He looked up and turned his head to find Celestia in the air, flying a short distance in front of the spot where he was.

Celestia had not noticed him yet, her back was to him as she prepared to cast a spell.

She concentrated in keeping herself in the air with her gracefully flapping wings, while performing her spell to raise the sun at the same time. She shut her eyes closed and channeled more magic energy to her horn.

"And... There!" She smiled with satisfaction as the sun rose to its final, correct position and showered warm rays of light through the clouds upon the awaiting, working land. "There we go... That is a nice sunrise..."

Wilder watched as she worked. After a few seconds, he could not help remember the wonderful ball of the night before. The event left him full of memories that he would surely treasure forever.

It had been so much fun for everypony, including him-he actually had a good time with those ponies without messing with them in any 'unpleasant' manner. And he was able to use his powers in a way that pleased them, too. He had gotten so many positive remarks and compliments about his abilities. Not to mention the dance that he and Princess Celestia shared...

The most memorable part of that night was when Celestia kissed his cheek when he wondered about himself-and that was not even part of the ball. It was highly memorable nonetheless.

Indeed, he would always remember the dance with Celestia and her comforting kiss. Then, to make his joy even bigger, she spoke kindly and truthfully to him. He probably would never appreciate any other words he was ever told the way that he appreciated and treasured the ones that Celestia said to him that night.

_"It only matters to me that you are Wilder, our friend-**my** friend. It does not matter what or who you are, but what makes you so."_ The Sun Princess herself had accepted and approached him with total ease and no hesitation or rejection whatsoever... Despite what he was, or failed to be...

Wilder blushed just like he had last night, smiling nervously to try to hide it from his face. _C'mon, get it together. We're friends, after all. That's what... friends... do, right...?_ He blinked as he thought about it.

He was beginning to get closer to Luna as well, but... Somehow, things were not the same with her as they were with Celestia, and he could not figure out why.

As he looked up and locked eyes with Celestia once she noticed him, his heart somehow skipped a beat, and he no longer cared to know why there was such a difference. It was the least of his worries.

He blew the tuft of mane back and brushed his coat before she turned around to face him again. He suddenly felt self-conscious of how he looked, and that made him feel sillier than usual.

He was relieved and comforted with the fact that Celestia did not seem to care about his appearance so much, or at all. _Thankfully... I'm a lucky guy for that. Otherwise, I'd be pretty much done..._

He smiled up while she stayed in the air. He did not notice her blush thanks to the distance and height that separated them. However, he could see clearly that she marveled at the wonder and beauty of the sunrise that he had created. Immediately, he felt that she had to get closer and compliment her.

"...It _is_ a nice sunrise." He held his face with his lion paw, and leaned over to the side a bit to look at both Celestia's creation and the Sun Princess herself.

Celestia looked down at him again. She looked a bit surprised when she noticed that he had gotten closer on the ground beneath her. _There he is! Did he come out to meet me? How early he rose, I did not expect him to... Well, enough of that. I cannot keep him waiting, can I?_

She patted her mane and looked at the sun one last time before she flew closer to the ground. "Wilder, good morning! I see you're an early riser."

Wilder chuckled a little as he watched her spin in the air before she hovered beside him. "Well, sometimes, yeah. When the occasion calls for it."

"Oh? And what's the occasion for this morning?"

Wilder glanced aside as he smiled. "Never mind..."

She flew a bit closer to him as he started playing with the grass. "Hey... We should make another trip around the kingdom."

Wilder pretended to be annoyed and bored as he smiled at her. "Another one, Celestia?"

"Yes! I bet there are a lot of things that you would like to do, huh? I cannot wait to see them. And there is plenty of space for us to play this morn-"

He eagerly clapped his claws together. "Oh, you bet! Yesterday was just the beginning. Playtime's officially starting today! You're gonna love it. It's gonna be the whole morning to ourselves-and some morning you brought, by the way, Celestia. I gotta say, the sunshine is amazing!" He looked up at the sky, then grinned as Celestia chuckled.

"Oh, Wilder, you really know how to give compliments. Come, then. Let us get started!" She flew forward and looked back at him in a playful way.

He watched her and shook his head. Then he opened his wings to follow after her. He caught up to her after a few moments and looked at her curiously. "So where's Luna?"

"She is getting some sleep, but she should join us soon enough, after she rests a little." Celestia flapped her wings a few times as she looked at her kingdom from above. "Ohh... You see this, Wilder? Is it not beautiful? Hmm. Everything looks fine this morning... Huh?"

She looked aside as Wilder flew ahead of her to play in the air. "Wilder...?"

Wilder flapped his wings as he held himself over some of the clouds that he had gathered. "Alright! We'll wait for her, then. In the meantime... How about a snack!" He floated on his back and ate some of the clouds that he turned into different textures, from cookies to solid juice.

She giggled and waved her hoof at him playfully. "W-Wilder! Oh, what are you-" She looked down at the tall glass that appeared before her. She smiled delightedly when she found that it contained pink lemonade, with a glittering purple lemon at the side, and a yellow curly straw inside. "This is..."

"Go on, try it, Celestia. It's your usual favorite, right? Doesn't beat chocolate milk, but it's still great, isn't it?" Wilder looked at her as she drank from the glass.

Celestia nodded in agreement. "Oh, I cannot believe it is still taking my chefs so long to learn how to make it, it is so simple! You will have to go to the kitchen and teach them yourself one of these days."

"I'll be glad to do it! Kitchens should be fun, too! I'll gladly make some arrangements in it."

"Wilder, that is not what I said-"

"Alright, now that the little issue us out of the way, let's play something! These clouds are perfect for chasing around. Let's do it, Celestia! And then there's lots of other games."

Celestia nodded and watched him animate the clouds. She laughed and chased them with him. They held very animated conversations between the games that they played while waiting for Luna.

* * *

Luna yawned a bit as she walked out of the palace. She was blinded by the sunlight for a second, but was free to go when her eyes got used to the sunshine.

She looked around the grounds and searched for her sister and their mutual friend. Since they had gotten along better, Luna found herself wishing for Wilder's company more often.

Though odd and considerably older than her, Luna considered him a great friend. He had even become somewhat of an older brother figure for the young princess, and she had come to love that about him, among many other things.

After a bit of looking around, Luna found her best friend/older-brother-figure with Celestia, as usual. "Hm." She walked over to them to make her presence known.

Celestia turned back to look at her after she finished another game that Wilder had come up with a bit earlier. "Ah, you are awake, Luna! Did you get some good sleep?"

Luna rubbed her eyes before she nodded with a serious, yet slightly tiresome expression. "Yes, We did..."

Celestia smiled and leaped in front of her little sister. She quickly hopped on her hooves, following a rhyming rhythm. _"Sunshine, sunshine... Um... Has come out to play!"_

Wilder looked at the sisters as Luna sighed and shook her head at Celestia's antics. "Hm...?"

"Sister, thou dost not need to greet us like-"

He floated closer to them and eyed them curiously. "Hey... What's that you're singing, or, praying, or whatever, Celestia?"

Celestia blinked and looked up at Wilder. "Hm? Oh. Well..." She blushed a bit and smiled as she tried to come up with a decent explanation. "It is..."

"It ist an attempt for a greeting that our sister hast tried to compose for us in the past."

"Well, for you and any other young, close friend. Luna happens to be both." Celestia patted Luna's mane and let out a sigh. "But... That is all I have, I am afraid."

"And We art relieved."

"I have not been able to come up with something nice with a good ring... Heh, I guess I am not very good at this. Composing is not really my thing... So I just greet Luna with that part, whenever she lets me."

Luna raised an eyebrow as she looked at Celestia while she explained.

"But I think I should stop with this, really..." Celestia walked back to the spot where she and Wilder were.

Luna nodded in agreement. "Yes, thou should, sister. After all, it cannot be proper of-"

"Wait, why leave it incomplete? It's quite a funny masterpiece-it deserves to be finished!" Wilder floated in the air as he thought hard on the composition. "It's a great greeting, little ones love it, what are you talking about! Little Luna just happens to be a bit... No, a _lot_ more serious than normal little ones."

Celestia laughed in agreement, but did not say anything as Luna took a deep breath to avoid saying anything in protest. "Oh, Wilder..."

"Let's see, 'sunshine, sunshine...' What can go after that, a better, funnier sounding..."

Luna lifted her front hoof to try to stop him. "Really, Wilder, thou dost not need to trouble thyself with-"

"I've got it! Ooh, you're gonna love it, Luna. I'm going to greet you like this every day! Celestia, you've got a lot more potential for this than I thought, you're a genius!"

He appeared in front of Luna and snapped his fingers, surrounding her in yellow magic as he made her mimic his movements.

"Wilder! What art-"

"Here we go!" He started jumping on his mismatched feet, watching Luna do the same. _"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybug's awake."_ He crouched on the ground and covered his eyes with his paw and claw, then lifted them to look at Luna after a second.

"Wilder, do not-"

He sat and lifted his claw and paw to clap them together with Luna's hooves. _"Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"_ After clapping, he turned around and shook his rear along with Luna. He laughed and held the young princess close after they were done.

Celestia laughed as well, clapping her own hooves. "That was great! You are a very good composer."

"Of course I am! It's-"

"Thou dost not even have hooves, Wilder!" Luna gave him a look as she blushed a bit.

Wilder shrugged. "Oh well, it has a nice ring."

Celestia looked at him curiously. "And why is it a ladybug?"

"Hm. It's something that came to me on the way. You see, the reason Luna and I met that night was because I made giant ladybugs to play some little games with-"

"And they very nearly crushed some of the fields in the villages, yes. We remember that quite well." Luna rolled her eyes as Wilder snickered.

"Aww, lighten up already. It's not like anything bad happened! You stopped them, we had a great time afterwards! Now, isn't it funny? It's good that I remembered that. I'm going to greet you like this all the time!"

"Oh, thou best not. That rhyme ist for foals-We do not need to be ridiculed by it." She walked forward and observed the hill where she had found Celestia and Wilder. "Anyway... What art thou doing here? Before We arrived, We mean." She looked at them curiously once she finished speaking.

She did wonder what they were doing in the hills of the palace, with such big space available for them all around the kingdom's land.

"We are having a bit of a magic showdown." Celestia smiled and looked at Wilder. "Wilder is winning by far, but I believe I am giving him a good match. My spells are formidable and a lot more artistic."

Wilder frowned a little as he faced her. "Artistic? You apparently don't know about art, then, Celestia. Allow me to show you something, for your education." He then snapped his fingers and looked forward as light floated down beneath them. Some of the ground levitated and spun around itself, the flowers and plants grew where the roots were supposed to.

He shook his claw, the patch of dirt shook along with it. When his claw stopped, the patch of dirt turned into clouds that rained apple juice. Both the clouds and the juice rain changed colors.

"Hah hah! I always have been fond of edible art!" He looked at the biggest drop that he had caught and quickly drank it, licking his lips afterwards. "Or, this one in particular might be 'drinkable' art."

Luna raised an eyebrow as she looked at Wilder's creation. "Wilder, that ist not art. That ist just plain strange. The effects of that magic of thine art-"

Wilder smirked and looked at her as he slurped down another drop of apple juice. "Oh, like _you_ could do any better? Go on, little Luna. Join and surprise us with something."

Celestia nodded as she encouraged her little sister. "Yes, Luna, go ahead! You can do it!"

Luna looked at them, then smiled a little while she stood up. "Very well. We shalt try." Her horn started to glow and she closed her eyes to concentrate. Blue, glowing energy magic emitted from her horn after a few seconds, signaling a spell.

The same glow of magic appeared above her as she opened her eyes. The light turned into transparent metal spheres of silver color after she concentrated even more.

The biggest sphere in the center took the shape of a crescent moon, with the smaller ones spinning around it while they took different shapes upon stopping. They were surrounded by a cloak of dark, starry fog before they vanished altogether.

She sighed as she watched the product of her magic disappear. She smiled just a little, proud of her beautiful accomplishment. She walked over to the others while remaining humble about her spell. "Well... That wast some good practice for us."

Celestia hugged her happily. "It looked good! Beautiful, an impressive spell, Luna. You have become so skilled already!" She chuckled and patted Luna's back as she blushed a bit.

Wilder glanced at Luna briefly before he nodded in approval. "Pretty, too. Nice for the game." He clapped his claws, though he did not seem very impressed.

Luna looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Thou sayest so as though thou can do better."

"Oh, I can, Luna dear. Pretty little glowing spheres aren't much for me." He smirked and chuckled a little as Luna jumped on him to object.

Celestia smiled at them and stood up. "Okay, my turn." She stepped forward as her horn glowed again.

Sweet grass and flowers grew around her with the magic of the sun. She flew up as the magic energy around her horn grew stronger. The new flowers and grass levitated with her and surrounded her.

Wilder looked up at Celestia dreamily, sighing as he held his head in his paw and claw.

She just looked so beautiful with the sunlight gleaming off her. The flowers and grass that levitated around her only underlined her form and good control. He could not help admiring the sole beauty of her magic... He could not help admiring Celestia for that matter.

Luna smiled as she watched Celestia as well. "And to think that Master Starswirl stopped training her in Sun Magic just a few months ago... She truly has made amazing progress, wouldst thou not say, Wilder?" Her wings fluttered a bit as she spoke proudly of her sister's abilities.

Wilder did not take his eyes off Celestia, barely hearing Luna as he watched. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Uh-huh."

She pointed at Celestia as her spell progressed. "We actually were there when she cast that spell for the first time. She taught it to us, and helped us adjust it to Night magic. Perhaps We should let thee see its combined form. It makes a beautiful show."

He nodded a bit and held his head up as it nearly fell out of his claw. "Uh-huh. Yeah. Beautiful..." He leaned it on his lion paw as Celestia started to glow. He was more captivated than ever.

Luna frowned a bit as she looked at Wilder. "Art thou alright, Wilder? Thou seemest a bit distracted."

Wilder blinked and awakened back to reality. "Oh..." He blushed and turned his face away so Luna would not see the bright pink on his cheeks.

She tilted her head to the side to try to look at him. "Hmm?"

"Ehm... Y-yeah, I'm fine, Luna. Just thinking 'bout somethin'... Watching the magic, y'know. This is a magic showdown, you should be watching too." He tickled her with his tail to distract her. As she laughed, he couldn't help but smile a bit as well.

The grass and flowers burst out around Celestia into glowing bits of paper as she flew down. "Phew! There. I shortened it to this version. It would have taken too long if I had actually finished it."

Wilder looked away from his tickling session with Luna. He sighed again as he turned and watched Celestia while she lowered down towards them. "Oh, don't worry... It's perfect."

Celestia looked at him and blushed slightly at his compliment, then aside for a minute. She chuckled as she watched Luna struggle to get out of Wilder's tail, which seemed to have gotten a mind of its own to tickle her. "Wilder, what are you doing to Luna?"

He did not answer immediately, as he was still quite mesmerized by Celestia's marvelous appearance in the bright morning sunshine.

It had to be the 'early morning appearance' that she gained in that certain time of the beautiful day. There... There was no possible way that Celestia-Sun Princess or not-could always glow the way she did right then, with that light, in that position... With that radiant smile...

He started to wonder what it was that made her look like that, but then winced when the fluffy end of his tail snapped in his ear to get his attention back.

He laughed nervously once he noticed that his pause was had gotten long and would soon be questioned. "Oh! Well, little Luna was due for a little fun of my own, don't you think? Seeing as she did so poorly at the showdown." He blew his tuft of mane out of his eyes when he lowered his head to grin at Luna.

Luna squirmed as she laughed. She spoke quickly in between her laughter. "We-did not-do-poorly!"

The feathers that he had appeared around Luna picked up speed as they tickled her faster.

"Heh, heh. You have failed in your attempt, and will thus receive your cruel punishment, Luna. Oh, you really seem to be a sucker for this." He chuckled and put Luna down, watching her tumble down to the ground, still caught in a fit of joyful giggles.

Celestia looked at Wilder as he floated away from Luna. "Oh, Wilder, you must stop this."

He spoke solemnly as he faced her. "You're right, Celestia. I gotta stop this. I simply must." He uncoiled his tail from Luna, then appeared beside her older sister. "Because it's your turn now!"

Celestia gasped as he suddenly grabbed her in his arms by her torso. She blushed a bit while trying to stop the inevitable tickling to which he would subject her. She failed and immediately started to laugh. "Wha-n-no-Wilder, no! Oh, s-stop... Stop!"

Wilder was already well into the tickling game while she tried to resist him. He proved to be mercilessly good at it-completely heedless of any and every half-formed pleas and stutter that came from the princess. He was secretly overjoyed at the sound of her laughter, and wanted more of it.

Finally, time came to set her down. "That was certainly much fun! I loved it, really!" He laughed a bit as she recovered her breath. "You liked it too, right? It's always good to have a laugh."

Luna walked over to her sister to check on her. "Wilder, what art we going to do with thee..." She muttered before she whispered to Celestia's ear.

Celestia blinked, then smiled a little and nodded at her. "Oh, I know what we can do."

The sisters obviously did not have good poker faces-Wilder immediately saw through them with no trouble at all. He read their intentions as easily as any simple book, and knew that they planned to retaliate with some sort of silly thing of their own thought.

Not that they would be capable of much, he figured. The master of silliness was he, and he was proud to hold that title for himself. As Luna pounced on him, he teleported out of the way to frustrate her attempts.

"Nice try, Luna, but you'll need more than that to surprise _me!_"

"How about me?" Celestia spoke briefly before she tackled him to the ground. She smiled and looked down at him once they fell on the soft ground. She blushed when she saw him looking at her in a flustered way.

His look made her a bit nervous, so she chuckled weakly to water down the awkward moment. "O-Okay, Luna... Your turn!"

Wilder blinked and tried to look at both of the princesses. "What? Wait-no. Wait, girls. You wouldn't-" He could not finish whatever he wanted to plead with because Luna started to tickle him with dark blue feathers that she floated all around his body. Immediately his great laugh thundered around them.

He tried to move, but Celestia pinned him down steadily. "Celestia-Luna... You-you-CHEATERS!" He screamed between fits of uncontrolled laughter.

Celestia smiled and held in giggles as she firmly held Wilder down. "You had it coming, Wilder!"

"Stop! Stop it! You-You two-Stop! Th-This isn't-" Wilder tried to speak again, but his attempts quickly dissolved into more laughter and squirming.

Celestia couldn't keep her own laughter inside her any longer, so she ended up joining him for a few seconds while Luna continued her torture. She blinked when she noticed that Wilder moved faster and harder with every tickle. She was a bit surprised when he rolled over to the edge of the hill. "Whoa. Wilder-Wilder, wait!" She then screamed as he rolled and tumbled down the slope with her.

"Sister! Wilder!" Luna quickly opened her wings to fly after them.

They finally landed on the ground, with Wilder under Celestia to break her fall. "Ngh, ow... You see, Celestia? I knew it wouldn't end well..." He winced as he tried to move while he was beneath her.

Celestia sighed and looked at the spot where they had fallen. "Who knew you would be so ticklish, Wilder? It is a bit ironic..." As she lifted her head, her nose bumped on Wilder's when he sat up to check on her. Her eyes opened a bit wider, and both of them blushed bright red.

Wilder suddenly had a coughing attack by the time Luna arrived, and Celestia was frantically patting herself to get her mane clean and back in order.

"Swallowed-something-on the way down..." Wilder choked while he hit his chest.

"Art thou alright?! We hope thou did not hurt thyselves..." Luna muttered worriedly as she went to check up on Celestia, then on Wilder. She even appeared some supplies to heal small injuries, just in case.

Celestia smiled reassuringly as Luna stepped closer to them. "It is alright, Luna, it was just a little fall, no need to get worked up for it. We are both fine, as you can see."

Wilder sighed and patted Luna's head. "Yeah, fine. Everything is fine, don't worry."

Luna tilted her head to the side and stared curiously at both Wilder and Celestia. "Hm... We wonder why it was that thou fell down here together. We were with thee, too, but We remained up there. Wilder, didst thou grab our sister while falling down? Perhaps thou did, she held thee down before thou tumbled from the hill..."

He blushed a bit and cleared his throat. He was apparently under the same choking attack from earlier.

Celestia quickly looked at Luna and walked up to her. "Hey, is anybody hungry? I just thought of it and now I cannot get the thought out of my mind. I must eat something, what about you two?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Well-"

"Why don't we go get something for breakfast? Or... lunch. I wonder what time it is, exactly."

Wilder looked at them while Celestia nudged Luna along with her wing. "Ahem... Why not call it 'brunch'?"

The sisters gave Wilder a confused look. "Call it what?"

"...Never mind. Anyway! Um, yeah, yeah, let's get going!" He gently pushed the princesses forward. "Let's have that wonderful breakfast-or lunch-I'm starving! Aren't you starving?"

Luna smiled a little and tried to answer his rapid question. "We-"

"It's been a rather long morning, wouldn't you say? Who knows, it might be the afternoon and I feel like I haven't eaten a thing! Let's go eat, everything's fine! After all, who needs to hang about here any longer, right?" He smiled nervously as he grabbed Luna in his arms and heard her laugh again.

Celestia glanced over her shoulder at the spot one last time. She blushed only slightly as she stared at the grass where they had landed. _That was rather awkward... I do not even know what to think of it..._

Her ears lowered a bit before she walked a bit faster to catch up with the other two. _Just... Do not think too much of it. A simple accident, is all. It was just a little careless tumble..._

...A... A tumble. That's all it was. Accidents happen all the time, especially with me around! And boy, is that fun! Wilder thought to himself as Luna talked to him more confidently. He looked down at her and decided to pay full attention to her friendly chatter for once.

_She's finally getting down and friendly, isn't she? Been waiting for this ever since we met, so might as well play along with her. Who knows, maybe she'll agree to do that little greeting dance more often!_

~~~

As they reached the palace, Celestia had Wilder and Luna head to the dining hall while she went to check on her counselors, as was routine.

She was a bit surprised when her personal advisor met her right there in the hall. She smiled at him to try to lighten his serious expression. "Oh. Hello, Dust Tail. What a surprise to see-"

The gray pony nodded at her in a formal, quiet greeting. "Thy Highness, I see that thou were playing with thy... guest... once again." He sighed and looked up at her as he awaited an answer.

"Oh, yes, Luna and I both were. Nothing wrong with that, is there? After all, I made sure to take care of my obligations before I left the palace. Everything should be in order, it has been well so far-"

Dust Tail seemed a bit unsure on how to approach her with the important subject, but he cut her off to speak anyway. "My Princess, please allow me... I took the liberty to come here after the meeting to warn thee..."

"Warn me?"

"Yes. About the... Well... The guest, Thy Highness. We all have discussed this, and decided that it-"

"His name is Wilder, Dust Tail. Wilder."

"O-Of course, Thy Highness..."

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she started to walk again. "And what is your warning?"

He sighed and looked at Celestia worriedly. "Thy Highness... The other members of the council agree with me on this... We must ask... We must ask thee to not trust... Wilder... so much..."

Celestia immediately stopped and gave him an alarmed look. "Ask me what?"

"Please understand our explanation... We only intend the best, Princess. He ist different from us... We do not know his kind... We know nothing about whence he has come, and that... Well, you must know that those facts do mean quite a lot... He ist a complete stranger that we can never hope to understand."

"Oh, come now, Dust Tail. Of course we can understand him. We just have to be on the right _mindset_, you know. Since when was it impossible to understand anyone simply because their origins are unknown?"

"Thy Highness, his intentions might be-"

She frowned a bit and spoke more defensively while she walked without looking at him. "So what if we do not know his origins? I thought that everypony believed and agreed that those superficial things are not all that makes somebody."

"But-"

"As for him being a stranger... There is a very simple solution for that, and I am proud to say that Luna and I practice it nearly every day. Even a foal could understand it, Dust Tail. We just have to get to know him better. Then he will cease to be a stranger. I agree, we do not know what he is, but we can learn. We can learn from what he shows us while being as he is."

"And how would that teach us anything, exactly? Princess, please listen, we could never hope to understand a creature with such powers! He is beyond anything that even your powers encountered!"

"And you never will understand him if you do not give him the slightest bit of a chance to get close to everypony. Believe me, he has as much desire to understand us as we have to understand him. For my sun's sake, even he wants to understand himself! If we accepted him, we could help him with that task."

"I see what you mean. But I must say that he is-"

"So what if he is different? I am not going to judge him for that, either. I would have expected all of my subjects to follow suit in my example and embrace the wonderful company that he can offer to us."

"Thy Highness, w-with all due respect, please do not be so-"

"I am not naive, Dust Tail. You should know better than that. I am doing something that my parents would be proud of-I am welcoming a creature that needs our assistance and in turn has proven to be quite friendly and helpful to us." She walked closer to her counselor with an innocent, convincing smile. "Surely you realize all the benefits that he has provided us with his magic and his very presence. Right, Dust Tail? Surely you agree, after the ball, and everything before that... Nothing but excellent assistance!"

Dust Tail watched her and then sighed in annoyance while glancing aside. _Entertainment would be more like it, Thy Highness..._ He shook his head to speak again. He tried to make his tone a bit more firm, but still respectful nonetheless. "Truth be told, he has made no other contribution to the kingdom..."

"Oh, I believe in time he will. He is a citizen of our kingdom, after all. He will make his presence known for sure, in any way that he can." She giggled a bit as she made Dust Tail follow her. "I already trust and know him this well. Is it not so nice? Listen... Wilder is a good creature, regardless of what he is."

"But, Thy Highness..." Dust Tail sighed and shook his head with concern. He was afraid that the princess' naivety might be a more difficult issue than he had expected.

There would be no way to speak sense into her anytime soon. But... It was still his duty to try to do so. He and the other members of the Royal Council had seen the problem come the moment that Celestia made the_creature's_ presence publically known. The council had finished their discussion regarding the thing's presence, so now it was his obligation to warn the princesses accordingly.

"Princess Celestia... We art worried... Things might end up hurtful for thee if thou trust him too much... He seems like a cunning youth, and... To make matters more concerning... We all believe that he might not care for the kingdom so much... Hardly as much as thou princesses do..."

Celestia sighed and gave him a slightly annoyed look. "Honestly, I do not know what you are talking about, Dust Tail. You saw how well he interacted with our guests last night. He behaved perfectly, and has done so until now, even when he grows bored and hyperactive. By the way, I will have you know that he _does_ care for the kingdom, as he wishes to live in it. He told me so himself."

"Thy Highness-"

"He told me that he wanted to be part of our lives in this kingdom and I believe him, Dust Tail. I must believe him. If I do not give him a chance, then who will?"

She nodded reassuringly to herself as she continued to walk with her head high and her spirits confident.

"I will give him the chance to show me how much his words he truly meant. We are friends; friends must trust each other. You'll see, Dust Tail," she smiled a little and looked at him again. "He will prove you and the council wrong-with all due respect."

"Yes, Thy Highness..."

"I am glad that was clear. I would not like to argue with my wise, useful council any longer."

Dust Tail nodded as Celestia walked past him. "Princess..."

"Please excuse me, Dust Tail. I must cut this conversation short, as I have an important lunch to attend to."

She did not notice the concerned look that Dust Tail gave her as she walked down the rest of the hall.

Wilder had quietly watched the conversation from the shadows of the wall. He smiled a little as he saw Celestia retreat so determinedly, so confident in him. _She really trusts me, doesn't she? She's going against her own ponyfolk for me... That's... That's pretty cool..._

He sighed and shook his head. _Why does she have to do that, though? What is it everypony is so dang afraid of...? I don't get it... Maybe I'll never get it. It's weird, and doesn't sound like something I'd care about._ He glanced at Dust Tail with a frown as his silhouette vanished.

* * *

Listening to 'A Guy Like You' and 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?'. Also 'Who Knew'. This is what came out from listening to those songs. They really do fit this chapter... in order, even. XD

It's SO CUTE! I love this one! I would've made it longer, but it's already like, twelve pages or something (oh my god, TWELVE PAGES! Much longer than the previous edit! How did _that_ happen?!). ...Guess I did make it longer. Much, much longer. Wow. Crazy how edits can change the whole thing, huh?

More interaction between our three main characters, yay! Wilder helped invent something else! That little 'sunshine sunshine' greeting that Cadance and Twilight perform every time they meet. I think it's adorable. Now it has a good origin that would kinda make sense... Right?

I still think it came out with a rather weak ending... How can I fix that...?


	12. Preparations for War

**Preparations for War**

A bit more than two days and nights passed since the night of the ball. The time for King Sombra's and Queen Chrysalis' attack had finally come, and they were fully prepared, as they had scheduled.

In the middle of the forest stood a black tent lit with dim light on the inside, where King Sombra camped during those days and diligently planned out their attack... and where he currently paced anxiously.

His cape was hung at the side of the tent, his crown over his furniture, his armor being polished by two slaves that he had brought with him from the Empire.

He reviewed a map and his battle tactics for the fourth time in that hour. "Where ist she...? Dawn ist not far and our troops grow restless..." He sighed impatiently, then growled a bit as he turned around.

An eerie current of wind blew along with Chrysalis, who entered the tent while a few of her changelings escorts followed her. Her scolding look reminded them of their responsibility for her delay; they had taken far too long with their feeding and kept their queen waiting longer than planned.

"If We have to deal with thine irresponsibility again, We swear there wilt be big consequences for thee." She growled a bit and glared at the escorts again. "We hope We were understood!"

The young changelings nodded and scurried away after their fierce queen dismissed them.

She then looked back at Sombra, completely unfazed by his irritated look. "Art we really not going to do anything tonight? Not even a minor attack and retreat?"

"No."

"But We doubt they wilt do anything to counter us. They wilt barely stand a chance. If anything, our attack wilt only fuel their anger or curiosity, and ascertain their little trip to thy kingdom that would lead to their destruction. Wouldst that not be a best plan?"

She gave Sombra a look as he shook his head despite her detailed explanation and opinion. "Oh, thou males always believe thou hath the best plans. It ist irritating beyond relief."

Sombra's crystal pony slaves trembled and shivered as Chrysalis and her minions crept closer to them. They nearly dropped their king's armor as they tried to scoot away from the changelings.

The shadow king glared at the female pony, who whimpered and nearly screamed when one of the insect-like creatures got ready to pounce on her.

She would have screamed, had it not been for the crystal stallion that held her hoof, though he was equally frightened.

Sombra startled them by slamming his hoof on the floor. "Did We say thou were finished with our armor?!"

The crystal stallion fidgeted with his hooves nervously. Then he bowed his head and barely looked up at the king. "L-Lord Sombra, we-we have been working on it f-for hours. We-"

"We art sorry, King Sombra, Thy Highness, b-but we cannot work if... Th-those creatures stalk us and-" The female pony screamed as Sombra slammed her against the wall of the tent.

He glared at the stallion so he would remain frozen in his place. "Hear ye bunch of ingrate fools. If there ist a single scratch on it, We wilt have thee walk on three hooves back to the Empire!" He snarled at the ponies as watched them flinch before they quickly got back to their work.

Chrysalis smiled a little. "Such tyranny thou hast as a method to rule. Tsk, tsk, We change our mind. Our subjects would not do well feeding of thine, they would immediately grow sick from all the oppression and fear that plagues them." She moved away from the light yellow crystal mare and stared at her with disgust.

Sombra took a deep breath and looked at Chrysalis. "Let us return to the subject of importance..."

"Oh, yes, that subject. We believe we should weaken them by making an attack now that they are absolutely defenseless. Why wait when we can strike as many times as we wish?"

"We did not defeat the Crystal Empire through several attacks. We did it in one move that was carried out cleverly and swiftly. By the way, Queen... Thy troops have another task." His horn glowed black as he summoned his black, magic crystal soldiers.

They walked into the tent and roughly pushed hissing changelings out of the way as they were followed by living crystal pony soldiers.

The crystal pony soldiers dragged a couple of worn and heavily wounded stallions. "We found them as thou requested, Thy Highness. It wast not much trouble, since our black additions to the army accompanied us."

Sombra smirked as he stared at the gray and white stallion guards that breathed heavily and winced. "They did quite a number on these weaklings, I see..."

The white stallion glared up at the king, but did not have the strength to do much else.

Chrysalis walked forward and stared at the guards. "What dost thou want with these idiots?"

"They art for thee."

"For us?!"

"Yes. We need thee and all thy children to take the form of these ones. Thou wilt infiltrate the princesses' palace grounds, pose as soldiers and await till morning for our signal. Do not worry, it wilt not take long at all. An attack from both inside and outside wilt assure victory."

"Very well. It should not be difficult to do that. It ist what we specialize on, after all." She chuckled and patted the dark mane of the nearly unconscious gray guard. She glanced at Sombra again. "Only these two, though? Wilt there not be any suspicions? Perhaps we should capture more..."

She stepped away from the beaten ponies, her face a grimace of disgust again. She had never really liked ponies, especially after they banished her kind to desolate, cruel lands only because they were different, and needed different nourishment to survive. She only saw them as sources of food, that was it.

"Alarmingly to us, their troops art mostly these colors. Thine assignment gets easier, Queen Chrysalis. Thy troops wilt infiltrate and rest here." He threw a map to her feet. "That 'X' marks the spot for a tunnel."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course. What else could it mark?"

"It ist a tunnel that our guards have worked on since a few days ago. It leads into ancient crystal caverns, which art crystal mines below the castle."

Chrysalis looked at the map again. She raised an eyebrow. "Crystal caverns. Thou dost not say..."

"Await there with thy troops. Scouts of ours wilt give the signal when time ist appropriate. Once thou hath been signaled, barge out in thy disguises to cause confusion among their troops."

She nodded and looked at her changeling soldiers to make sure they were understanding. "Yes."

"With this strategy and an efficient attack, we shalt take the whole kingdom in less than an hour. It wilt not be much, as it ist still underdeveloped, but it wilt be a great victory over those princesses nonetheless." Sombra grinned as he looked up at her.

Chrysalis nodded in agreement. "We art glad thou hast thought this through so well." She stepped back to head towards the exit. "We wilt be waiting within their grounds."

She walked outside of the tent and looked at the changelings that gathered around her. "Take on the form of those guards over there, our dears. We wilt move into their land."

The changelings nodded and surrounded the guards while buzzing amongst themselves.

Chrysalis smiled at them and continued to speak over their buzzing. "We wilt rest until orders are issued, so gather strength while thou hath chance. Take the rest of the night off, but do not move from thy spot."

She continued to issue orders as her subjects closed in on the two wounded pony guards. She looked down at the beaten royal guards with no consideration or pity in her eyes. She then chuckled when her changelings began to take the form of the ponies.

"This wilt be good. We cannot wait to get to those little bratty princesses down whence they belong, and see their faces once they fall. It wilt be rather delightful...!" Her green eyes glowed just slightly as she glared up at the peaceful palace that would soon be sieged by their attack.

Sombra approached his female slave. He growled at her as she cowered slightly. "Is our armor done yet?"

She gasped and backed away from him. "Y-Yes, Lord Sombra..." She spoke with in a whisper, keeping her eyes cast down on the ground as her stallion partner brought the gleaming, clean armor over to the king.

"Good. We were thinking one of thee could use missing a leg. But... It ist a good thing that thou minded thy duties. We do not have time to waste with filth like thee, after all." He stood still and let the two slaves put his armor on with trembling, but efficient hooves.

Chrysalis walked towards the kingdom once her subjects had finished taking their disguise. She smiled as she watched them advance quietly past the villages, into the tunnel that Sombra had mentioned.

"This war wilt be a glorious moment, our dears. It wilt be a day to remember and learn from. _They_ wilt be at anguish this time, and suffer the way we suffered! Let us go. Let us be on our way to defeat them!"

She flew ahead of the changelings once most of them had taken a pony form. She glared back at the tent, and continued flying towards the awaiting kingdom. _Do not think that thou wilt control us, Sombra... This is **our**quest for revenge. Thou art only a way to our means._

* * *

As morning came a few hours later, it found Celestia sleeping soundly at the library, with a pile of books and notes around her. Even as she slept, her quill was gingerly lifted over the paper by her magic, though it did not write anything that was actually legible.

Wilder peeked into the room. He smiled a little when he saw Celestia slumped over her desk. _There she is... Right, she said she was gonna stay here and study, right? And... research about me, too..._

He looked at the papers and books that she had scattered across the table. "Hmm... Wow, she really went in deep, didn't she?" After skimming through some of the papers, he realized that none of the content held specific means to his being. There was no information that would help teach him about himself.

He sighed with disappointment and glanced down at Celestia. _Well, you get points for trying..._ He couldn't help but smile a bit as he gently took the quill and broke her spell over it.

As soon as he did, Celestia moaned a bit in her sleep and shifted her head to the side.

"Shh, shh, Celestia, it's okay. Pulled an allnighter, didn't you? Go ahead and sleep." He snapped his fingers and turned the desk into a comfortable couch. He covered her with a blanket and nuzzled her slightly.

~~~

A couple of servant ponies stared at him as he teleported out of the library and stretched.

"I wonder what there's to do in the early mornings..."

The servants quickly looked away when Wilder turned to look at them.

"Hey, you two! You seem pretty bored, what should we do?"

"Um... Well, we art actually quite busy, sir..."

"Indeed, there ist still much to clean from the ball-"

"Seriously?! I would've thought you guys had fixed that already!"

"Not to mention that the Princesses' breakfast needs to be served... All of us art occupied at the-"

"You guys are all boring, I thought you'd lighten up after the party."

The unicorn maid blushed a bit as her young partner giggled slightly. She gave the younger earth pony a look. "Shush."

"Alright, whatever you guys want. There must still be something fun to do with somepony else. Or something nice, whatever. I don't like to sit in a place for long."

The light green earth pony maid raised an eyebrow as she smiled a little. "Perhaps thou couldst help us do our work, sir-"

The unicorn mare shook her head. "Of course not! He ist the Princesses' honored guest, we cannot ask him to do such a thing! Have some manners, Flower Dust!"

"Actually, I _would_ help, if it wasn't so tedious. You know, cleaning and everything. This place is huge. Surely you guys do something to entertain yourselves."

"We enjoy the peaceful and quiet mornings, sir Wilder. Really-"

Wilder groaned. "Peace... Quiet... Urgh, that's really-wait, I got an idea!"

Flower Dust sighed and shook her head. "Must thou really make such a problem of what to do?"

Wilder smirked and patted her brown mane. "Oh, you know it." He floated in the air and flexed his wings. "It's been a couple of stressful days..."

"Really?"

He smiled at them as they started to walk while he floated. "Ahh, perhaps I'll take some leisure time to myself! Gotta see everything that's laying about the palace-it's just waiting to be explored! Maybe there's even hidden mazes or something, hidden passageways." He then wandered around the palace once again.

Flower Dust smiled a little as she watched Wilder leave. "Godspeed, sir."

The light blue unicorn maid sighed. "Well, at least he probably wilt not be much of a problem."

"To us, anyway."

"Yes. To us. I pity the forsaken fellow workers that wilt have to deal with his tremendously energetic behavior. Alas, it wilt be difficult for them."

"Oh, come now, he ist not that bad." Flower Dust gave her a smug look. "If I do recall, Flutter Sweep, thou were quite entertained at the ball. Were thou not?"

Flutter Sweep blushed a bit and nudged the younger filly along. "Come now, we must get to work. Let him keep to his fooling around, we art counted upon to keep this place clean and running."

"I wanted to go play with him..."

"Later, Flower Dust."

Wilder snickered as he watched the two mares leave. "Well, what do you know. Getting friendly with Celestia's workers, aren't I? About time, too." He snapped his fingers and vanished through the walls.

~~~

He appeared in the east wing of the palace. He let out a whistle as he saw how big the place was.

"Wow, I haven't even gotten very far, have I...? Cool, more mingling!" He lowered down to the floor as he watched more ponies while they tended to their business.

He waved at the many servants that he happened to come across. After getting comfortable in the unknown area of the palace, he even gave them a casual greeting and smiled while he invited them to strike a conversation. He ignored the nervous looks and excuses that they tried to give him.

"Hey. Care for a game of cards? C'mon, I don't bite. I might tickle you!" He laughed as one of the earth pony stallions gave him an odd look. "But, that's when getting down to the game. It'll be fun!"

The stallion rolled his eyes and left his companion behind while he carried a silver tray on his back. "Take care of the guest, Flicker Lull."

The young, light-cobalt pegasus gave the retreating servant an urgent look. "Wh-what?! But, Platinum Round, I do not think I-um, just-" He fluttered his wings nervously.

Wilder raised an eyebrow. "Flicker Lull? That's a pretty weird name for a colt, isn't it?"

Flicker Lull blushed a bit. "U-um..."

"Whatever, what do you say? We should have fun with something. You look like you can appreciate a good laugh. Not like your tray-carrying partner over there."

Platinum Round gave Wilder a look and turned away from him. "Hmph. Dissipation."

Wilder looked at Flicker Lull again while raising an eyebrow with an expectant expression.

"Oh, s-sir, I really should not, there art duties to take care of-" The young servant stallion said timidly before Wilder made him float as he thought of a game. "W-Wilder, sir!"

"Since you don't seem to be using those wings anytime soon, I gotta get you in the air somehow, right?!"

"N-no, sir!"

A few maid mares approached Wilder and gave him scolding looks. "Wilder, sir, thou must put him down!"

Wilder laughed as he made the mares float along with Flicker Lull. "Whoo! Flying servant ponies, how fun!" He put them down and chuckled as they gave him annoyed and cautious looks.

"Alright, let's go have breakfast. No, wait-I feel like taking a good, relaxing bath. I heard the princesses love that, especially with bubbles. Ooh, I want that!"

One of the maids nodded at him before she turned away. "We wilt have it ready, sir."

"And make it extra bubbly! With toys! And the bathtub will be like a boat-big as that! Oh, it'll be fun, like no bath that's ever been taken! I can already picture it-I'll fit all of you in there!"

A brown earth pony with a dark gray mane and an hourglass cutie mark backed away from Wilder with a nervous glance. He did not say a word and only jumped slightly when Wilder turned to look at him.

"Ooh. And who are you?" He appeared over the pony and looked at his cutie mark until the stallion grew nervous and moved his flank away. "That's a nice mark there! Relates to your name, like all the others. Right?" He looked at his own flank and shrugged. "Guess I'm too special for a single mark."

"U-um, my name Minute Passer, Wilder sir. I-I am the princesses' time and clock keeper-"

"Oh, nice, a time keeper! That's gotta be kind of interesting. Knowing all about time and stuff."

"Well-"

"You must mend a lot of watches on your spare time. Are some of them magical? Do you fix each and every clock you get, no matter what kind it is? Do you fix clocks that are bigger than you? Does that mean that you've got a perfect sense of time? Do you keep records of all time and all the clocks you repair?"

"W-well, yes, sir, I do. I mean, I repair just about any type of clock that needs it, keeping time ist important. That is my duty, what my family was assigned to do by the prin-"

Minute Passer sighed as the walls, floor, and ceiling around him turned into ticking clocks. "Oh, dear..."

"Mind telling me what time it is now, Minute?" Wilder started laughing again as Minute Passer looked at him wearily. He glanced at the smiling maids that tried to hold giggles in their hooves as the time keeping pony groaned with exasperation. "Go on, tell me each and every unit!"

"Sir, I do pray that thou-"

"Let's go, then! We'll have plenty of clocks in our time bathtub boat!" Wilder floated down the hall, followed by the mares, and now Minute Passer.

"B-But Wilder, sir... We have duties to tend to, the princesses will-"

"Celestia's fast asleep now that she's raised the sun. Luna will go to sleep in no time too-as soon as Celestia wakes up. I'll take over for a bit while they get in their precious order!"

The ponies remained quiet and a bit surprised as Wilder messed with the manes of the Royal Council as they walked past Wilder and his group of following servants. They said nothing as the council began to complain and grumble about Wilder's magic.

"C'mon! You all servant ponies need to lighten up. Follow after the civilians' example! You'll have a blast!"

The council gave him a look as he passed after blowing a raspberry at them.

A purple unicorn from the council glared at Wilder. "Such a disrespectful creature! I really cannot believe the Princess gave thee such an irresponsible answer yesterday, Dust Tail." He shook his head and looked at the gray counselor pony. "That creature must leave, it ist imperative for the kingdom's safety."

Dust Tail sighed. "Indeed... However, the poor foolish ones begin to fall for his ridiculous behavior..."

The unicorn nodded gravely. "I wilt say. Even my sister and her workmates hath begun to take to him. He has turned even the infirmary wing into a disaster. That ist what he does wherever he goes."

"That wilt be a problem. Of all areas, we cannot have the medical wing disturbed-"

The unicorn lifted his hoof and shook his head. "Not a problem, gentlecolts. Glitter Dawn may be charmed by the creature, but she is still my sister. She ist very responsible about her duties and knows best than to let the medical staff down. Not to mention the doctors art still firm about their occupations."

An older, dark gray stallion shook his head as the council continued to walk. "The creature wilt be no use to the kingdom. The princesses should have him gone themselves and save us the trouble of bothering with it."

The purple unicorn nodded, then rolled his eyes with annoyance. "But no, they had to act immature and fool around with him as well. It ist getting out of control. Who would have thought that the Princesses, of all, would disrespect and disobey the rules and cautions in such a manner!"

They grimaced as they heard Wilder's loud laugh-which he had made annoying just on purpose-followed by the sound of crashing plates and falling candle ornaments.

"Wow, this is fun! What better way to entertain ourselves on our way to the bathroom than battling these boring trays and plates, huh, friends?! Let's go 'be no use to the kingdom', as the old sour hooves say!"

Wilder led the now laughing mares and the panicking Minute Passer down to the big bathroom that awaited him after he snapped his fingers.

* * *

I am terrible at pony names. In case you haven't noticed. ...Okay, the chapter is supposed to feature the preparations of the villains for the oncoming war... But... Now that I think about it, I don't see much preparation here...

Most of it turned out to be an addition of Wilder fooling around with background servant ponies and ticking the Council by getting under their nerves. On purpose. He doesn't like those bitter bunch of ponies. I don't like them either, it's a good thing they become more flexible after a thousand years. But... Yeah. Fooling around with ponies apparently is better than bitter villains scheming.

Hey, more ancestor ponies! Yeah, Minute Passer's an ancestor, too (who's ancestor might he be...?). Logically, all of them ponies are. They gotta have foals and descendants like that at some point.

It was brief (relatively), the good part's coming up. Sombra and Chrysalis get their army moving through the city, while Wilder decides to take time to himself after giving Celestia a break from her allnighter research on him. And fool around with the servants. So considerate and fun of him. Since the army is acting rather silently, nopony, including him, has realized what the city is about to be put through.


	13. Despair Against Mane City

**Despair Against Mane City**

King Sombra's great army marched with him out of the Everfree Forest, towards the main city of the Princesses' kingdom.

Two stallion-shaped creatures of black crystal pulled the chariot where Sombra sat, surrounded by the army of crystal black creatures and ponies alike.

The artificial soldier's eyes glowed with green fire while the crystal ponies remained adamant and fierce while they marched. No sign of the slightest hesitation was visible in any of them. Regardless of the ruthless cruelty that Sombra showed to the Crystal Empire, the crystal pony soldiers remained and loyal as determined to serve him as the mindless soldiers that he had created with magic.

He looked aside and pointed to one of the high-ranked soldiers.

The black crystal stallion immediately approached him and gave him a respectful, but fierce look. "What art thine orders, Thy Highness? The full troops art now prepared."

"Good. Bring thy forces in alongside ours when We give the signal. We art to charge into the city en masse, but that wilt not suffice. Once we have covered most of the area, Chrysalis and her forces will back us up as well. When needed, order for the reinforces to charge forward into the weakened ground."

"Yes, Thy Highness, as thou commandest it." The soldier put his armor helmet on and saluted the King as he turned to leave. He then walked towards his troops and addressed them with the planned orders and tactics. "All to positions now!"

Sombra grinned as he and the army approached the palace, which had quickly gone under attack once his signal was given. He watched as the guards on watch duty quickly called for reinforcements and valiantly tried to fend off the wrath of the Crystal King's army.

~~~

Luna had barely finished guiding the defense troops through some of the attack when she was called over to the watch tower for immediate assistance. What she saw through the tower, at the other end of the city, made her blood run cold. "By Celestia's shining grace..."

She could hardly see the main city anymore. It was overrun by the crystal army. There was nothing left of the villages, and very few of the guards on duty were still standing. The civilians did not stand a chance against the invaders; they were attacked regardless of their attempts to merely flee the danger.

_This cannot be... How did he ever... This cannot be happening. Not... Not him... Not Sombra..._

"Princess Luna, what-"

Luna shook her head and narrowed her eyes as she glared at Sombra. "King Sombra ist the leader of this attack. Let everypony know that. Equip our forces accordingly once the council is told of our attacker. Do not let any unicorn guard out of duty, we wilt need all the magic that we can summon."

"Yes, Princess!"

"Move along! Send that message to the council, our counter protocol depends on it! Take thy courage, everypony. They shalt not see us defeated before the battle!"

She watched the soldiers move, then walked alongside them as she prepared herself with her armor. Her horn glowed as she activated the weapons with her magic aura. Then she cast a spell to hold some crystal soldiers off while her guard advanced on them.

"We shalt not surrender. This kingdom wilt not be taken from us without a fight. Messengers! Alert the full Royal Guard, not just the council. We cannot wait around for their decisions-we must fight now. And we wilt counter as fiercely as we can. Onwards!"

She took a deep breath and charged forward as the messengers hurried away. "Do not be frightened! We wilt fight as courageously as thee, our troops. Godspeed in this endeavor!"

Some of the crystal forces clashed and were forced back as Luna commanded her troops forward without any hesitation, despite having less combat experience than her sister, who hardly had any herself.

The crystal stallion commander glared at her. "Thou art quite young to command a full army, Princess Luna. Then again..." He looked up at the group that fought under Luna's orders.

Luna pushed him and some of his soldiers back with a light blue barrier. "Oh... We wilt soon command a full-scale army against thee, scoundrel, so just wait patiently. Within minutes, thou shalt be delighted at the force that We can unleash against thee!" She smiled a little and stepped forward as she continued her magic attack on the crystal commander.

~~~

There was a mess everywhere Celestia went to, not just inside the palace. Screams and other deafening noises surrounded her, keeping her from thinking straight.

Her concern grew when she found injured among the assaulted palace. Medical ponies went everywhere to treat the fallen servants and guards; they even ventured outside into the outrage that followed the army.

"Such destruction... Oh, no..." She shook her head and walked through the safest path in the guarden. "Somepony bring forth the guard!"

One of the servant ponies trailed behind her. He lifted a scroll and a quill to write down her instructions. "Thy sister already did, Thy Highness-"

"She did? Oh, wonderful! Luna, reliable as ever. We must act of this moment, no place in this city is safe, so advise all to leave any shelter they may have taken-it will not keep them out of danger for long. They will not take prisoners and are going out of their way to crush all they can in this kingdom. Make sure all subjects know that!"

"An announcement shall be made as soon as we can safely do so, Thy Highness."

"I want that to be now! Follow the Royal Council through the emergency protocols and make sure the civilians are evacuated by our magic instructors."

"Yes, Princess, I will have that-"

"Good, now go! Issue these orders immediately!"

~~~

Sombra roared and brought down the guards that stood before him. He took on his shadow form to slither past the rest of the attack. His energy weakened the Sun Princess' force and left them exposed and vulnerable against the power of the crystal creatures.

His laughter echoed across the city, followed by the thunder and black lightning. "What happened to the Princess of the Sun? Wilt she and her little sister continue to hide while the excitement happens?

Celestia smiled a little and appeared another golden magic wall in front of her. It blocked the blast and made it vanish as she shot the crystal guards with separate golden blasts. "I will hide from you no longer, King Sombra. If you have made this decision, then so be it. I will do all in my power to stop you."

Luna blasted some more crystal guards away as she approached. "Guess what, Sombra? That fearsome commander of thine, he and his reinforces art no longer."

Sombra growled for a second, then smiled as he addressed the sisters. "Ahh, our dear princesses. How honored We feel to have an audience with thee."

Luna gave him a serious look. "Allow us to be honest-we do not feel the same way."

He glared at Luna with a grin. "Hello, Night Princess. We imagine though must have missed us. Hath it not been a long time since our last visit?" He chuckled as more of his guards arrived to surround them.

Luna remained determined as she confronted him. "Consider this conversation thy last warning."

"Enough." Celestia's horn glowed again as she gently pushed Luna behind her. "King Sombra. Address me for the moment, please. I am the one offering you a civilized conversation. We have done nothing to you yet. Unlike you, we have not invaded your territory. We are innocent of any charges."

"Thou wouldst say that, would thou not? But thou dost not have us fooled, princesses. We know that it was only a matter of time before thou came upon our kingdom. To what, pray-tell? To 'free the poor crystal ponies from their doom and suffering'? Please!"

"I argue that while they do not deserve the treatment you bestow upon them... We are in no position to invade your kingdom in any way. It is yours, whether you are a good ruler or not. It is yours and we remain firm in our decision to respect it. Under no circumstance would we ever defile the memory of the founders of _our_ kingdom by savagely wrecking your property, rampaging and damaging your subjects. That would make us no better than... _other_ leaders that claim to be rightful rulers, would it?"

She was interrupted by Sombra's sharp laughter. "Thou sure art learned in thy politics lessons, art thou not?! Speaking like quite the diplomatic, how comical!"

Celestia remained calm as Luna nearly prepared to attack him. "Easy, Luna. Tread lightly. He is a king, after all. We must be careful when going against him."

"Yes, that ist right. We _art_ a king."

Celestia kept her detached, cold look fixed upon Sombra. "Though under what right, award, or privilege you hold the title of 'king' I must say, I have not the slightest idea."

"Insult us all thou wishest, thou art still under our level. Heh. Thou art clearly new to this ruling occupation, _princess_. This forsaken piece of dirt that thou callest kingdom hath not allowed thee to learn much..."

"On the contrary, sir. I have learned plenty of things from one hundred and fifty years of rightful, fair lessons from my predecessors, and the tutors that have taught me the justice of the ways of ruling a kingdom."

Sombra ignored her as he continued with his explanation. "...So let us make it clear for thee. Conquerors do not pity or care for the weaker forms. Rulers become worthy of the land and subjects by crushing them! Beating them and pressuring them with superior power until there ist nothing left!"

He shot a blast of his fiery magic in their direction. "Thy parents shalt rejoice in this day, We reckon. Before long, their daughters will join them in the next life!"

Celestia and Luna combined their spells to block Sombra's attack. They gradually unleashed more of their power as the battle continued to rage around them.

They separated once reinforcements of the Royal Guard arrived to assist them. Luna remained with the guard and led the attack on the crystal army, while Celestia flew off to confront Sombra, once she successfully pressed him away from the support of his troops.

~~~

He glared at Celestia as she walked around him. "We must commend thee for thy wit. No opponent has ever lasted this long against us. Not to mention successfully push us away from the army with those little spells... It ist something to be recognized."

Celestia took a deep breath, then fixed her cautious look on him. "I do not seek your recognition. And the spells? They were not meant to be strong. I will not waste my energy with something as meaningless as distracting you from your army. But I needed to have a private audience with you. It is the only chance we will have. I am the eldest-the strongest by that right. I cannot leave the guard to fend for their own, so Luna will guide them... while I confront you at last, King Sombra."

"How touching, princess."

Celestia blocked Sombra's attack again. "My sister and I will not let you win, Sombra. I am glad to stay out of your shameful affairs. Your rule and ours are very different. We have far kinder and stronger strategies that will prevail for the sake of our subjects... Even if you beat us down!"

She shot a blast of white light at him, and smiled as it was strengthened by Luna's glowing blue energy.

Sombra took his shadow form to dodge the attack. His eyes glowed as he used a telepathic spell. _This ist the signal for the next phase of the plan. Call forth the changeling army-unleash the second attack!_

~~~

Luna panted and stopped on the ground once her squad finally cleared a small part of the city. "Well done..."

"Princess Luna! Princess Luna!" A few guards called out to her over the distance. They tried to run closer to her and the rest of the troops, but were taken down by something that Luna did not see clearly to recognize.

"What...? Guards, be prepared. It seems that something-" A flash of magic energy came at her, she barely had enough time to dodge, but not counter attack. She looked at the stallion that had attacked her as the soldiers brought him down. _He ist one of our own. Wait a minute. How..._

She noticed that many royal guards were confused and attacked by soldiers that were supposed to be in their ranks. Before long, they faced the problem of apparent insubordination and treason. "Wait! Stop! What ist the meaning of this?!"

However, she quickly caught on to another detail. Before she charged towards the group of traitor soldiers, she noticed that there were some creatures lurking about the ruins of the villages. She could not recognize the creatures, but immediately figured they were responsible for the misunderstanding that led to the defeat of many of her soldiers.

She flew closer to them, and witnessed their ultimate ability to take on the form of the ponies that they got hold of. "Unbelievable... How can they do that?! What kind of magic is it?!"

A hiss and the flutter of wings made her turn around. "Just when we..."

She screamed and flew to the side to dodge the insect-like creatures that charged against her. "Stay away!" Her magic blast managed to hit some, but most of them made a speedy escape and trapped more of her guards with a sticky, green substance. "These creatures...!"

Before more of the gnarled-legged insects flew at her, Luna commanded the soldiers to retreat while she flew closer to Celestia and Sombra. "We must make sure Celestia ist not outnumbered!"

~~~

Celestia turned around and watched Sombra disappear. "Sombra! Get back here!" She looked at the spot in the ground that had been marked with Sombra's dark magic. "I will make you show yourself..."

Her magic spell was disturbed, however, when she heard Red Feather's screams, and saw him fly as quickly as he could, above her. "Red Feather?! What-"

She grimaced as the pegasus' changeling persecutors flew past her. "Stop! Leave him alone!"

~~~

Red Feather grunted as he tried to fly faster. _This cannot be, I have reached my limit... No, no-I have to fly faster! They... They art counting on me!_ He gritted his teeth and turned sharply, glancing at his pursuers for just a few seconds. "O-over here!"

He swooped to the side as the changelings gained speed. _That ist it. Here we are..._ He looked up at the direction where the Royal Guard awaited. The traps are there. I just have to reach them-just a few seconds!

The changelings were now far away from the doctors and nurses, and none of them had been hurt by the fleet. They quickly transported the injured away as the unicorns that escorted them cast protective spells around them.

Pure Heart gasped as she watched Red Feather fly away with the strange creatures hot in pursuit. "Oh, no!"

Glitter Dawn walked over to Pure Heart and nudged her gently. "Come along, little one. We must get go where we art needed. We cannot stay here and be injured, can we?"

"B-but we have to help him! He wilt get hurt! We cannot let that happen, he helped us"

"Come now, Nurse Pureheart! Plenty of injured patients already need our help. We have to move to safety if we want to treat them quickly!" The doctor gave her a stern look as he pushed her forward and gave her a clipboard. "We have priorities, young lady."

"Yes, sir, I understand. I am truly sorry." Pureheart hung her head and glanced at the direction where Red Feather flew off to. _Do take care..._

Glitter Dawn smiled and patted her shoulder. "Do not worry. He flew right over to the Royal Guard. I am sure that they wilt not let sir Red Feather get hurt. They wilt do all they can to protect him. And he wilt be a hero, wilt he not? Since he helped them take care of those buggers. How fortunate will that be for him?"

Pureheart smiled a little and followed her a bit more quickly. _Just be quick enough to reach them, sir Red Feather. She ist right, they will take care of thee. Godspeed, sir. I hope thou wilt beat them._

~~~

Celestia cried out as she was nearly hit by Sombra's spell. She glared at him and countered the attack, but looked away again when she spotted Red Feather, seemingly out of danger now. "There you are!"

"Princess Celestia, be careful!"

"I have it under control, Red Feather. You must get out of here!"

Red Feather nodded and flew around to leave. "Please be strong, Princess! I wilt try my best to help!"

"And she wilt look lovely defeated, wilt she not? Beaten to the ground among the other soldiers..." Sombra chuckled as his dark aura surrounded him.

Red Feather gasped and flew towards him. "No! Leave her alone! I wilt not let thee harm them!"

Sombra laughed as he unleashed the blast of black electricity on Red Feather. "There! Finally got what thou deservest! We wilt enjoy this, thou see. Watching thee die. Dost it feel good?" He walked forward as Red Feather screamed and squirmed on the ground. "Thou lookest like an ant. An ant that ist to be squashed."

Red Feather glared at him as the energy continued to torture him. "I... I wilt not... Not... anymore..."

"No!" Celestia pushed him back with another blast of light, making him lose his concentration. She looked at Red Feather as he recovered. "When you can move again, please get out of here. I appreciate your help, but if he hits you with another spell, Red Feather, I am afraid even I will not be able to save you. Please listen to me, my friend. I will be fine."

"He wilt be fine? What a lie that ist." He walked around Celestia as she stepped in front of Red Feather. "Once We art through with thy kingdom, We will enslave every single pony and force them to work at our crystal mines. Sounds delightful, does it not, Sun Princess?!"

~~~

Luna directed another set of her troops. She was about to move closer towards Celestia, but cried out when Chrysalis' green, glowing blast hit her and dropped her on the ground.

Chrysalis laughed. "What ist the matter, little princess? Ist the day too sunny for thee?!" She relentlessly attacked Luna again. "Thou art as pathetic and useless as thy mother wast! We wilt make sure thou endest in the same place as she did!"

~~~

Celestia sensed the new magic energy that had appeared on the air above. She looked up to find Luna fighting with another changeling... Only that creature looked different and stronger from the rest.

_I cannot believe it... She is fighting the queen!_ She opened her wings and flew in the air to try to reach them. "Luna! Hang on! Wait for me!"

~~~

Chrysalis chuckled and glared at Luna as she screamed in pain from her recent attack. "Dost that hurt? It ist the least that thou deservest for all the misery thy family caused upon ours!" She growled and deflected a stronger magic blast that Luna charged.

Luna panted and tried to cast another spell. _Do not falter, not right now! There must be another spell that We can use... We art stronger than this! Art We not...?_

"Thy power would be a force to be reckoned with, if it were to reach its potential." She chuckled again as her gnarled horn began to glow. "Too bad it wilt never get the chance to do so!"

Luna looked up at the huge blast of glowing bright green light that flew right at her. She summoned her own energy and got ready to try to counter. _We wilt blast thy laughter and smile off thy face..._

Celestia flew in between Luna and Chrysalis' attack. Her body glowed with white energy as she deflected the blast and vanished it. "You will not touch my sister again. Do not even dare to aim another spell at her. If you so much as try to do it again, then I will make sure that you regret it. Understand?!"

Chrysalis chuckled and glared at the eldest princess. "Thou hath done the same mistake that thy family did. Thou raised thy kingdom in the same foolish, affectionate ways! We can sense love and positive feelings everywhere... How absurd, ist it not?"

"Of course not! Dost thou not see?! Those feelings, the hope and love of our subjects... They art what wilt help us defeat thee!" Luna's horn glowed as she flew forward just a bit.

"Silence! See this! See how powerful we get! Heh... All the love and affection thou claimest to be _thy_ strength wilt soon be _ours!_ For we gain power with thy love by the second! And it ist so strong, ist it not, our little children?" Chrysalis laughed and flew closer to the princesses, ready to attack them again. "We shalt be done with thee in minutes, princesses!"

Celestia screamed as she used as much power as she could summon to keep Chrysalis back.

"Sister!" Luna tried to approach them, but was pushed back by the power of the queen's magic. "No! Let us fight, We wilt not let thee hurt her! Fight us both!"

"But those art not the rules of this game, art they?" Chrysalis looked at herself as her magic aura grew even stronger. "Oh... This kingdom may be pathetic and weak... underdeveloped and all... But it doth hold the strongest emotions that We have yet to devour... All of us grow so much stronger already!"

Celestia and Luna flew back a bit as they shielded themselves from the burning, bright green aura.

"What ist the matter? Frightened already? Thou should be. It ist thanks to this very filthy land that thou callest thy kingdom that we wilt defeat thee... We would not have expected these little brute subjects to be so attached to their frail, weak leaders! Oh, do they love thee both..."

"Of course they do. They are loyal to us because we look after them. We defend them from threats of danger. Like you all!" Celestia grunted a bit, but then gasped when the light of her horn flickered.

"This shalt be thy end!" Chrysalis shot a stronger spell that zapped Celestia and threw her on the ground. She laughed as she saw that the Sun Princess could barely move.

"Celestia!"

Chrysalis stepped closer to Celestia as she made a great effort to push herself up. "Oh, look at this... It seems like thy strength backfired, did it not? How enjoyable..."

Celestia glared at her as she held herself up on her trembling legs. "I... I wilt not... give up to you... Never!"

"Oh, yes. Thou wilt!" Chrysalis' horn glowed again. She watched with delight as Celestia was electrocuted by the bright green energy. "How about now? Ist that better?"

"No! Leave her alone!" She looked up as a small swarm of changelings approached the fallen Sun Princess. "No! Thou wilt never-stop!"

Chrysalis looked up, then grunted as she received Luna's full blast, which made her crash against her changelings. "Little fool...!"

Luna rushed to her sister and tried to help her stand up. "On thy hooves, Celestia. We must fight!"

"D-do not give up, Luna. Understand? We cannot forsake this kingdom."

"We know that! But We need thee to win!"

"I will try my best... I am afraid I will not be much use now..." Celestia winced and cried out as she fell on the ground again. "I am sorry..."

"Thou needst to rest. We wilt make them sorry for this, sister. Rest and help us when thou hath recovered."

Chrysalis hissed and tried to hit Luna with a blast once she stood up. "Thou wilt regret that!"

Luna blocked the attack with a magic shield. "That wilt be enough. We art sick of all of thee. Our sister tried our best to be civil, but it just never works. Not with the likes of thee. Instead, she was injured and beaten. Just because she tried to spare thee and let thee leave unharmed. That ist despicable."

"I wilt tell thee what ist despicable-"

Luna gritted her teeth and shot another attack at Chrysalis. "Silence! We wilt not hear another word!" She opened her eyes as they glowed white. Her magic energy surrounded her.

"Then watch us tear thy beloved sister apart. Wilt that be better?" Chrysalis blinked with surprise as Luna glared at her and stepped forward. The enhanced magic of the night made her shiver.

**"WE WILT NOT FORGIVE THEE!"**

Chrysalis chuckled after she recovered. "Nice power. But as We said earlier... Thou art too young to master it!" She shot a blast of her own, though she gasped when it was effortlessly deflected.

~~~

Sombra stood up and watched Luna and Chrysalis as they battled. He smirked as his horn charged with a dark spell. Once it was complete, he shot it at Luna just before she attacked Chrysalis.

Luna screamed in pain and fell on the ground as her concentration broke. "Ngh... This ist nothing..." She pushed herself up and tried to keep her balance. "Come now, summon thine energy again..."

Chrysalis laughed as she watched Luna. "Oh, this ist good. Too good. How pathetic can thou get, princesses?!" She looked at her changelings as they hissed eagerly. "Easy. Do not interfere."

Luna narrowed her eyes as her magic aura continued to fade. "Concentrate harder..."

"It ist useless, princess." Chrysalis paced for a bit while Luna was pushed back by the pressure of Sombra's magic aura. "Look at thee. Thou fall deeper into the hole by the second. Forget it..."

She licked her lips as Luna fell on the ground again. "Thou art as good as mine!"

Sombra looked around at the darkness that Luna summoned to mislead them. "Well, she ist clever... And annoying, too. This has gone on for far too long..." He slipped into the shadows to dodge Luna's attack.

"We wilt not let thee get away this time, Sombra!" Luna stomped her hooves on the ground, sending ripples of glowing night magic through the earth.

Sombra growled and slithered away from the magic as quickly as he could. He looked up at the unconscious Celestia and grinned. _She would not hurt her with any spells, would she?_

He used a possession spell to enter her body. As the night aura vanished from the ground, Celestia's eyes opened. They were not glowing green and red as she pushed herself up.

~~~

Chrysalis panted as she looked around through the darkness. Her guards had been defeated one by one, and she barely had time to block Luna's spells, which blasted at her from all sides. She growled as her shield sizzled and vanished from the opposing aura.

That brat... She ist getting stronger! Her wings fluttered as she summoned a spell to try to dispel the darkness. "This little dark cloak wilt not work. We can see through thy guises-"

_"It ist night magic what thou attemptest to dispel, insect. Thou crossed the wrong princess. The princess that happens to control the darkness of night!"_

Chrysalis gasped as shadow forms appeared from the misty darkness. "Cheap tricks...!"

Luna narrowed her eyes and pushed Chrysalis back again. She looked around for Sombra. _Where did he hide this time...?_ "Thou wilt not hide for long! We wilt find thee!"

"But We found thee already!" Celestia chuckled as she shot a spell of light at Luna's direction. She grimaced and looked at herself. "Hmm... This 'sun magic' ist not our style, most definitely... But, oh well... Dark magic wilt not give us any advantages now, wilt it...?"

She cast a few more spells while she approached Luna. Her voice was deep, joined by Sombra's.

"Maybe two rulers was just a bad idea. Dost thou not thinkest so, Luna? We wilt have to correct that. The kingdom can wait, but not this!" She charged a beam of sunlight energy and shot it again. She chuckled with delight as it easily sliced through the cover of darkness.

Luna panted as she blocked the blast with a barrier. She groaned and fell to her knees, but kept her eyes fixed on Celestia. _Our cover and spells art vanishing... If she keeps her magic up, then ours wilt be all gone... We wilt all be exposed..._

Celestia laughed and ordered some of the Royal Guard officers that were too confused to suspect her commands. "Go! Change thy positions, we wilt beat them if we scatter around!"

"No!" Luna growled and pushed herself up. "Sombra... This is definitely Sombra..." She charged a spell and shoved Celestia back with it. "Enough! Leave our sister alone! Thou wilt pay for this!"

Celestia smirked again and shot another attack. "We do not think so. Dost thou not thinkest thou needst a bit more sunlight in thee? Let us help..."

Luna grunted and jumped into the air to dodge Celestia's attacks. _We must hang on and keep fighting-now more than ever! We must save Celestia from Sombra's possession._ She looked down at Celestia as she laughed and continued to attack, all the while insulting her.

She stepped to the side and saw that Celestia was already flying after her. "..."

"Come out now or We wilt destroy the useless soldiers thou hath left! Good luck explaining to their families-if they art alive!" Celestia turned around and aimed at the group of guards that aimed their weapons at the oncoming changelings.

Luna narrowed her eyes and glared at the possessed Celestia. She opened her wings and flew out of the broken tower. "Here We art! Now fight us!"

Celestia flew up to Luna and hit her against the wall with her hoof. "How treacherous. Thou planned to attack thine own sister?! Learning from thy dark nightmares, art thou not?!"

"We plan to beat and defeat the force possessing her. We wilt do all that We need!"

Celestia lifted her hoof and surrounded Luna in a ring of light that vanished her magic aura. "Always so weak, thou were, little sister..."

Luna gasped and screamed as the power of the light was increased. "Leave us alone!" She looked at Celestia as she continued to laugh while Luna herself screamed. _No... Please do not..._

"It ist useless! Our magic has grown stronger-thanks to the dark aura enhancing it! There ist no way thy weak little spells wilt be a match! Two powers in one, how can thou defeat that?!"

_He learned to use Celestia's basic spells well... We know how to get around them, but We wilt never overpower them with Sombra's magic as another force to counter... She dost not grow weak! But We do..._

Celestia grinned and hit Luna with her hoof again when she tried to fly closer. "Thou must stay in thy place. Dost thou not know manners? From this point on, thou wilt be our slave. Thou lost thy chance to be a mighty ruler. Now both of thee wilt be our slaves!"

Luna growled and glared at Celestia while she pushed her back. "Let us go! Thou art a disgrace, We wilt not allow thee to touch us!"

"Look who ist talking! The biggest disgrace of all! Always at our shadow!"

"Not _thy_ shadow. Not thy filthy shadow. Thou wilt never make us hate our sister, no matter how hard thou triest to impersonate her! We know it ist thee that possesses her, Sombra. And so our moon help us, We wilt release her from thy vile influence!" She pushed Celestia back again with her hind legs and panted.

_There ist... There ist only one that might handle Celestia's magic better than us..._ She tried to block Celestia's attacks for a bit longer, but was already breathing hard with fatigue. She swayed and had to lower down on the ground to keep fighting.

_Wilder...!_ She grunted again as Celestia pushed her on the ground. She grabbed Celestia's hoof and tripped her, then screamed as Celestia electrocuted her again. "Not... that..." Her horn glowed as she used the energy around her for a counter spell. _Wilder, please come here!_

Celestia chuckled and stepped forward while the crystal soldiers shoved Luna back to give her less space. "Thou art done..." She looked aside and spotted Chrysalis as she broke free from the fading darkness. "About time thou appeared. Do not just stand there. Thou hath work to do!"

She lifted her hoof and kicked Luna in front of her as Chrysalis stepped closer. "There, finish this night vermin! We have grown rather bored now."

"We thought it would be more than enough with thee. Thou art playing quite a good game. But if thou insistest... The princesses art to be destroyed by us, after all."

_Wilder, where art thou?! Thou said thou were our friend. Thou art strong. Thou livest in this kingdom... Please come and help! Come and stop all of this... We art not enough...!_

Things seemed quite dim from her perspective, and it was not just because she was under her possessed sister's hoof.

Her beloved kingdom was falling apart, and she could do nothing about it. She was hit by the realization that none of their efforts changed the outcome even for a second. Everything that she knew and loved would still be in ruins in a matter of minutes, regardless of what she and the others did.

_Have dignity, Luna. Keep thy princess honor-do not give them the satisfaction of seeing thee beg for thy life. This ist it, but it wilt be a mighty exit. Honored._

"How amusing... We can see how terrified thou art, little filly... Just make it easier for thyself and plead with us. Perhaps We wilt humor thee, little sister."

Luna shook her head firmly. "No. We art prepared for thee! None of us will fear thee." She looked around at the fallen Royal Guard that kept the same silent determination. "See? It wilt not be easy to bend us. Thy victory ist not complete."

Chrysalis growled as she looked at the Royal Guard. "Well, not what We expected, but it shalt do."

"Hear ye! We art Princess Luna, protector of this land and the Night. We shalt defend our home with our last breath, and remain with our title as We fall."

She glared at them through tear-filled eyes, and fought to keep her voice from breaking. She was terrified, but would not let that be an excuse to break down and humiliate herself and what was left of her rule.

"Such a brave little one. Ist she not?"

Luna moved her head away from Celestia. "Go on, coward! Go ahead and do thy worst!" She screamed more as she felt the burning energy of the sunlight burn around her body.

Her night magic did little to ease the pain as Sombra laughed through Celestia's body. The despair she felt then was unimaginable, but at least she would have dignity and not give in like the villains expected.

All was lost, but at least they would have to battle thoroughly to win it all. Regardless of how long the battle lasted, it was still a battle-a fight that they engaged in fiercely to defend their freedom.

She would be proud of that and use their courage to fuel her last, proud attempts against the enemy force.

* * *

Sombra and Chrysalis started their attack against Canterlot! They easily overpowered the young princesses, even though they tried their best. Cunning beasts. Poor Luna, she got saddled with it all after Celestia fell. But everyone's gotta admire her courage and dignity. For a little filly, she's awesome!

But things are not looking bright for the kingdom or the princesses at all. Where is Wilder?! Will he be enough to save the day if he does appear?

Phew! Biggest edit yet. At one point it ended up being eighteen pages! Eighteen! Now it's twelve. Still pretty long, seriously. What the hell did I do there? Might have made some points seem redundant and useless. But I think I made the princesses seem epic! If some of you catch on to errors or have suggestions that will make the story better, please do let me know.


	14. Games for the Kingdom

**Games for the Kingdom**

The gates of the palace grounds were torn down by changeling soldiers. They barged into the palace, having already invaded the grounds thoroughly.

The group that rampaged through the halls stopped as they came across Wilder, who had stopped as well. He was wearing a bathrobe, holding a coffee mug in his claw, combing the tuft of mane back with his paw.

He raised an eyebrow as he stared at the changelings. "...I don't suppose you're the breakfast ponies. So..." He smiled a little as he eyed the creatures curiously.

Chrysalis walked to the front of her army. She gave Wilder a look as the changelings surrounded him. "Who art thou?!" She spoke with a loud, demanding tone, her wings fluttering a bit as she spoke and glared at Wilder fiercely.

Wilder snapped his fingers and teleported himself above Chrysalis as he led them just outside of the palace. He twirled his fingers in her mane. "Heh. You're the cutest insect I've ever seen, you know." He eyed the holes in her legs. "My, you seem to be into really odd stuff. I assure you, though; it does not get any stranger than me!" He laughed as he floated around her and the changelings, who stared at him with alarmed expressions.

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes as she watched the playful, energetic creature. "We asked who thou were! What dost thou wanteth here?! This place ist under our attack, fool, in case thou haveth not realized. If thou art sided with those weaklings, thou wilt be brought down along with them!" She tried to blast him away with her green magic, growling when she missed.

Luna groaned, pushing herself up a bit from the ground. Her eyes widened when she saw Wilder. "W-Wilder! There thou art!"

Wilder chuckled as he saw the confusion in the changelings as they tried to take his form. He then snapped his fingers and appeared a yellow magic shield that blocked them when they decided to attack physically. He blinked after hearing Luna's voice and looked around to spot her. "Luna! What happened to you? You look-"

Luna resisted the urge to glare at Wilder. "Wilder, we art in the middle of an attack, what dost thou thinkest happened to me?!" She screamed as Celestia hit her with her hoof again, trembling in pain.

Wilder looked up at Celestia. "Celestia? Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" He looked aside as Chrysalis tried to attack him again. Her attacks barely even fazed him, he was more concerned about Celestia's strange and violent behavior. She had another thing coming if she thought he would let her get away with treating Luna like that.

Luna groaned, trying to push herself up again. She winced when a throbbing pain came to her wing as she tried to move it. "Ngh... Wilder... Thou... Thou hast to help our sister. Celestia ist...!" She screamed again as Celestia kicked her down. "Sister!" She glared up at her, her horn glowing, but she did not get to cast a spell as Celestia knocked her down again.

"Silence, fool! We shalt rid the world of thee once and for all!"

Wilder narrowed his eyes. He did not need Luna to tell him Celestia was possessed. He did not need to sense the other presence within her either, though he did. Her behavior alone was all the sign he needed. "Celestia hates using the fancy pansy little formal talk... Though I guess he wasn't trying to fool anypony..." He smirked as he caught Chrysalis' bright blast and curved it into a ball in his claw. "Heh. Hey, Celestia, catch!" He threw the green ball at her, and smirked as he watched the attack get closer with great speed.

As the attack hit Celestia, it pushed Sombra out of her body without harming her. Sombra crashed against the wall of the palace as Celestia fell on the ground limply. He growled, glaring at Chrysalis. "Ugh, Chrysalis, thou art such an useless imbecile! What art thou and the rest of thy useless minions... What... What ist... that...?!" He glared at Wilder as he took Chrysalis' horn and popped it off her head. "What?!"

Chrysalis growled, trying to hit Wilder with her hoof, though he disappeared from her reach. He appeared in the air and played the horn as a flute, the notes coming out of Chrysalis' holed legs.

"Thou wilt pay...!" She glared at Sombra. "Stop stammering there like an idiot. Possess the Sun Princess again! Her light magic ist strong, he wilt not be able beat it!" She stepped forward as she commanded more of her changeling army to attack Wilder. "Do not show any pity! Hit him with all thou art worth!"

Sombra leaped forward towards Celestia. "That should be no trouble at all!" He gasped as he remained suspended in the air due to Wilder's magic.

"Ah, ah, where do you think you're going now?" He lifted Chrysalis as well, then levitated them both in front of him. "Well, as the saying goes... 'The more the merrier', right? So how about we play a little game?" He snapped his claws and chuckled. All the crystal soldiers disappeared. The few crystal ponies that were part of Sombra's army were suspended in the air, along with the changelings, whose wings all vanished.

"What art thou doing?!" Chrysalis screamed as she tried to struggle free from the levitation spell. "Let us go! Release us!"

Luna pushed herself up, staring up at Wilder. "Th-That ist..." She remembered when Celestia had first commended Wilder's magic. _Thou were not wrong, sister..._

"Release us at once!" Chrysalis glared at Sombra. "Art thou not going to do something about this?!"

Sombra grunted a bit, unable to break free either. "That creature... He ist blocking out magic somehow!"

Wilder popped off Sombra's horn as well. "Now, since manners dictate, Chrysalis shall go first."

"What?! What art thou talking about?!" Chrysalis looked at him as he floated up in front of them.

"Oh, you'll see when we get there. It'll be quite fun! I'm sure you and your little minions will love it. It'll be refreshing to say the least~" Wilder laughed as Sombra and Chrysalis tried to protest. Before they could say anything, he snapped the fingers of his claw and vanished with all of them in a flash of white light.

~~~

He teleported the three of them, plus the changeling army and the crystal pony soldiers, hundreds of feet in the sky, above a giant lake.

The pony soldiers he had tossed them down an empty well, where their only chance of escape would be a narrow tunnel that was as dark as darkness could be. "Good luck getting out of that anytime soon! Even I don't know where it'll lead!" He rubbed his claw and paw together, chuckling. "Actually, I do know, but revealing it would be no fun..."

"Let our soldiers go! We wilt show thee-"

"I don't think you should be throwing empty threats into the air... Um, Sombra, was it? Your soldiers will be fine out there. Not that you care much about them to begin with. But the game isn't with them now..." He folded his arms as he smirked at Chrysalis. "It's with you all." He floated next to the Changeling Queen. "Now, Chrysalis, your game is simple. All you have to do is catch your insect things as they fall into the water, without missing a single one." He lifted a finger to prevent her from acting immediately. "However, the rules consist of this: no flying for your insects, you will only be able to hover over the water and nothing more. And of course, no magic for you. Ready? Go!" He snapped his fingers again, snickering.

The changelings began to fall. As they did, Wilder prevented them from even trying to transform into something with wings. He freed Chrysalis so that she would save as many as she could. He laughed as he watched Chrysalis running around, admittedly admiring her sense of adherence and loyalty to the minions, for she was sincerely trying to save each that fell.

He shook his head at them, then started to laugh. "I HOPE THOSE HOLES DON'T TROUBLE THEIR SWIMMING SKILLS!"

Chrysalis growled. "We wilt not let thee get away with this!" She grunted as some changelings fell on top of her. She glared at Wilder. "Thou wilt pay for this!" She gasped and screamed as the weight made her start to sink into the water, having a hard time keeping herself afloat as she tried to rescue more of her changeling army.

Changelings screeched by the hundreds as they attempted to transform into some creature that could fly. Their attempts were foiled, however, by Wilder's magic.

He snickered and teleported Sombra at the lake's edge. Though Sombra's horn was returned to him, Wilder still preventing him from using his magic as well. "As for your game..."

Sombra glared at him and growled. "Thou wilt receive all the wrath of-"

"Yeah, yeah, been there, heard that. Now, don't interrupt me! I was talking!" He snapped his fingers and appeared a giant marshmallow. He placed it over Sombra's head. It was as heavy as a giant boulder. "There. You shall carry that for about ten feet from here. Without getting squashed or dropping it, otherwise the game will be much less fun. That's your cue!"

Sombra sweated and growled as he carried the enormous force of the object dropped onto him. "Damn thee...!"

"Oh, you guys are quite the fun. You should come around invading the kingdom more often!"

~~~

Meanwhile, Luna dragged herself over to Celestia. She gasped as she touched her, feeling her cold and pale body. "That possession spell... Oh, no... Sister...!" She whispered, looking around for a doctor.

Wilder returned to Celestia and Luna, sitting down next to Celestia. He frowned with worry. "Hm. That won't do..." He circled his body around her, like a dragon over gold, and began casting the healing spell he knew.

Luna looked at her with tear-filled eyes. "Wilt it work? Sombra drained so much of her energy when he possessed her. Oh, Wilder, we cannot lose her...!" She started crying again.

Wilder used his magic to restore Celestia's energy to normal. He held her tightly in his arms and waited for her to wake up. "C'mon, Celestia... Wake up, this was nothing..." He whispered, looking down at her with a worried expression on his young face. He glanced at Luna and tried to seem confident as usual, for her sake. "It was nothin'. She'll be fine in just a bit, you just wait."

Celestia groaned weakly, opening her eyes a bit. "Ungh... W-Wilder? You..."

Luna gasped, smiling as she saw her. "Celestia! Oh, sister! She's alive, Wilder!"

Wilder nodded. "Told ya."

Celestia groaned again as she tried to move. "Sombra... That... creature..."

Wilder hugged Celestia closely as she awoke. "Yes!" He called out triumphantly, relieved that she was safe and alive. Then he smirked as he acknowledged her weak statement. He chuckled, patting her head. "Heh, heh. I think they've been taken care of." He smiled again as he looked over his shoulder, at Chrysalis and Sombra as they still struggled against his magic challenges.

Celestia looked over at the direction where Wilder was staring. She seemed a bit surprised. "You... You beat them yourself...?"

Luna limped over to them, smiling proudly and with relief. "He certainly did." She looked at Wilder. "We art quite surprised with thy magic, Wilder. It handled in a few moments what we could not solve this whole time. Not to mention the healing of our sister... Oh, sister, We art so glad thou art safe...!" She nuzzled against Celestia and hugged her briefly before Celestia groaned again, and she winced from the pain of her own injuries.

Wilder chuckled, blowing the tuft of mane on his forehead away from his eyes. "It was nothing." He looked at them cockily.

Celestia spoke weakly as she looked up at him. She smiled a bit. "You... saved my life, Wilder..."

Wilder blushed, trying to hide it with a smirk. "Eh. It was worth it, you know." He grinned. "Heh. It's not like I could do anything else, is it?"

Sombra snarled and yelled as his head ached with tremendous pain from the heavy marshmallow, which was still on top of him. "Ch-Chrysalis... Our forces are defeated. Argh, we must retreat!"

Chrysalis glared at him, nearly crawling over to Sombra's spot, followed by a few rescued changelings that whimpered behind her. "No. Hath thou JUST figured that out, idiot?!" She grunted, glaring around with frustration. Her wings fluttered a bit, but did little to carry her weight when she tried to fly. "We thought thou had prepared everything before the attack! Thou said that this attack wast thoroughly planned!"

She huffed a bit when Sombra tried to protest. "We told thee to attack them and then retreat. Retreat so that they would follow into THY kingdom, where we would be best prepared, but NO, no one listens to the Changeling Queen!" She started to fly away from him, leaving him to protest and scream out at her.

"Chrysalis!"

"Silence, fool! We said that as soon as We saw no gain in this ridiculous plan, We would pull back. We have lost minions because of thee, We wilt not lose anything else!" She glared forward. "Hear ye, pathetic, forsaken kingdom! Hear ye, Princesses! No matter what We shalt do, We shalt make thee pay! Someday thou wilt be surrounded by love again. Love unlike that of any other. No other strength will lay around thee!" She smirked. "We, the changelings, shalt strike that day. We shalt end thy pathetic kingdom and existence ourselves! Mark our words!"

Luna frowned, stepping forward.

Before the Night Princess could attack her, Chrysalis started pulling back while her changelings created a last-minute diversion.

Luna glared at Sombra, who still tried to pull himself together to fight. "We have a declaration for thee as well." Her horn glowed bright blue with her magic energy, her eyes turning white. Black clouds began to surround her as she summoned power that she could barely contain. "For endangering our sister's life, thou shalt pay the worse!" She surrounded Sombra with her magic.

**"THOU ART TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE. THY REIGN IST NO MORE, SOMBRA. FROM THIS DAY, WE BANISH THEE TO THE WASTELANDS AND PUT THAT LAND AND OURS AT PEACE!"** She screamed, her magic glowing brighter as she intensified her power.

Sombra focused his entire magic to destroy Wilder's spell. As he did, he attempted to flee the night magic that Luna summoned. "The Crystal Empire ist OURS! It shalt always be ours!" Surrounded, his eyes glowed bright green with purple, and a black spell was cast out of the castle, all over the Crystal Empire.

Luna frowned and lowered her head as he stepped forward. "Thou art beaten, Sombra. Yet thou refuseth to admit thy defeat? We shalt show thee better."

Sombra roared and an enormous black explosion sealed the entire empire away, though of course the others were not aware of it at first. "Thou cannot defeat us! Thou wilt see. Darkness wilt return to this land. WE wilt return! All shalt bow to US!" He glared at the dark blue glow of magic that closed in on him.

Luna shut her eyes closed, concentrating more as she began to make Sombra vanish with her spell.

"L-Luna..." Celestia whispered as she looked up at her sister, still in Wilder's arms..

Luna encouraged herself as she felt her power begin to reach its limits. "We can do this..." Her blue magic turned darker around Sombra as she nearly completed her spell. After a few seconds, she succeeded, and banished the shadow king from her and Celestia's land, all the way to the Wastelands.

She cried out, nearly falling back once the spell was over. A few soldiers from the Royal Guard quickly arrived to aid her as she pushed herself up.

"Princess Luna!"

"Princess Luna, art thou alright, Thy Highness?"

She panted and sighed. Then she smiled once she looked up at the clearing skies and villages around the kingdom. "We have done it..."

Celestia smiled a bit. "She did it..."

Wilder smiled and nodded. "Oh, yeah, she sure did! Who would've known she had that kind of magic in her? Geez, I'm not challenging her to a magic duel again!" He smirked and chuckled.

"She banished Sombra on her own... She has grown so..." She leaned her head against Wilder, starting to drift off.

Wilder looked at Celestia, then turned his attention to Luna as she approached them. "Hey, you're not so little anymore, are you?"

Luna stared forward a bit longer before limping over to Wilder. "We have been trying to tell thee that for a long time." She smiled. "We believe it fair that our kingdom recognize thy deed and thank thee personally, Wilder. It ist but the least that thou deservest." She winced, looking at her wing. "Well... As soon as all ist recovered, of course..."

Wilder smiled and patted her head with his paw. "Oh, thank you, Luna." He looked at Celestia again. He caressed her mane as he watched her sigh in her sleep. "But let's leave that for later. Celestia needs to rest." He stood up carefully and teleported inside the castle. He walked towards Celestia's room.

Wounded soldiers got closer to Luna as the shadows and clouds dissipated from the palace and the grounds completely. The captain spoke, bowing his head respectfully as Luna turned his attention to him. "What is thy command, Princess?"

Luna sighed after she watched Wilder and Celestia leave. "Well... Our masters should be back with our civilians shortly. Maketh sure that the civilians and the servants alike art properly accommodated. We want the wounded treated well, including the royal guards. They art priority over us, We want that well understood." She held her head high as she spoke. After leaving clear orders to the Royal Guard, she made her own way back to the palace, to get a bit of rest.

~~~

Celestia groaned as Wilder carried her. "...If it had not been for you, we would be long gone, Wilder... I feel so... useless. We could barely do anything." She sighed as her eyes started to fill with tears. "I very nearly died, too." Though she was still quite weak, she felt frustrated and disappointed with herself.

Wilder entered the room, keeping quiet and serious as she spoke. He listened without interrupting her. He sighed and looked up once she was done. "The way I see it, Tia, your sister would be the one to now be gone if you hadn't defended her. Everypony would be so much worse, too." He laid her in her bed and caressed her cheek, smiling encouragingly as he dried her eyes. "You fought with all you could and now thanks to your courage, Sombra's gone, and those insects vanished."

Celestia looked down. "It was not thanks to me. Luna did more than I did. She ended up effectively banishing Sombra. You were the one who saved us all. I just... I nearly just die-"

"Because Sombra took advantage of when you were weak to possess you. And how did you get weak like that? That's right, standing up for your sister. I don't have any brothers or sisters, but I'd say that's heroic enough. And Luna sure appreciated it. Listen, quit feeling pity for yourself, alright? It's not like you. You fought like a true princess and gave your all for your kingdom. You've done your job as a ruler."

Celestia blushed a bit as she looked at him. "Thank you again, Wilder..." She looked aside, smiling. Then she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Honestly, I do not know what we would have done without you. You were a true friend, and a hero to our kingdom."

Wilder chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, c'mon..."

She touched his claw with her hoof. "I know you have already said that you will stay, but..." She looked aside worriedly. "But, Wilder... I do not want you to leave, ever. Even if... Even if we cannot find something about you, I still want you to stay with us... You are already a part of our home to everypony else... and to me." She smiled hopefully at him.

Wilder stared at her, then smiled a bit nervously as he saw the worry and concern in her eyes. _I really proved her Council old ponies wrong, though. I really did. I was useful to the kingdom, and... She knows I'm not leaving... I'm not leaving... She shouldn't be worrying like this._ "Come now, Celestia. You worry too much." He tried to change the subject with a light, dismissive response, though immediately realized that he failed. She seemed nearly as worried as he had been before.

"Wilder..."

"Guess it's my turn to comfort you, isn't it? It happens." He kissed her forehead and held her hoof, trying to keep himself from blushing or stuttering from nervousness. He smirked when he noticed that she did blush a bit more. "I... I don't think I wish to leave, not the kingdom, not you. Ever. That's how good this place and the folks are." He winked at her, relieved to see that he had managed to calm her down. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about you get some rest?" He snapped his fingers, fluffing out her pillows.

"Oh, you're so kind... I knew you would stay with us, Wilder, I did...!" She laid her head on her pillow, trying to keep her eyes open. "Thank you. I... I would not leave you, either, Wil... der..." She snuggled against the pillows, falling asleep again.

Wilder scratched his head and sighed. He stood up from the bed and covered Celestia with the blankets a bit more. "Goodnight, Tia." He chuckled at the new nickname he had just invented for her. "That sounds like a good one, wouldn't you say?" He heard her sigh in her sleep and chuckled again. "I'll take that as a yes. Alright, then, see ya tomorrow~" With that, he disappeared from the room, back outside.

~~~

The royal guards kept scouting the city. Under Luna's orders, they helped soldiers and civilians alike. Slowly, both civilians and guards worked at repairing the damaged buildings of the villages around the kingdom that made the city.

Luna watched the guards work. She smiled a little as Red Feather flew over to her. "Red Feather. It ist good to see thou art safe."

Red Feather nodded. "Thank thee, Princess Luna. I am ashamed to say I wast not so much help during the attack. I apologize for that profusely, I... I really did try my best. But I assure you, I certainly wilt help in the reparations of thy kingdom. I shalt not leave until everything that happened due to my appearance ist fixed."

Luna chuckled. "No need to thank us, Red Feather. Just-" She looked at him as he bowed before her.

"Princess Luna, I honestly do not know how to thank thee...! The Crystal Empire and I are much obliged, Princess! I am sure I speak for everypony when I say we shalt always be at thy service!"

She shook her hoof in front of her. "Oh, no need for that, Red Feather. We art just glad we were able to help. We believe the Crystal Empire wilt be safe for thee all now." She looked at the villages ahead of them, sighing a bit. "And so wilt our kingdom."

Red Feather turned to look at her again. "Princess, I wilt do my best to help thee rebuild thy villages and the palace grounds. It... It wast because of me this started, the least I can do ist-"

Luna shook her head, stepping closer to him. "No. It wast bound to occur. But our enemies have been defeated, Red Feather. They art no more, so we wilt be able to rebuild in peace. It wilt be okay now. We think it best that thou returnest to thy home, to reassure thy ponyfolk, and perhaps even help lead it. They wilt be looking forward to somepony to look up to."

Red Feather blushed a bit. "Oh, Princess Luna, I don't think I-"

"With the courage that thou showed today, We believe thou wilt be capable to lead thy empire until a new leader ist found. After all, this battle wast no simple thing, and thou endured well."

Wilder appeared above Luna and Red Feather, greeting them with a grin. "Well, well. That was something spectacular indeed, wasn't it? Tell me, Feather, with Sombra gone, will you go back home?"

Red Feather looked up at him. "W-Well, yes, of course... As Princess Luna said, I... I must get back to the others, make sure they art alright..." He looked over his shoulder at the palace, watching the servants and doctor ponies move about. _I wish I did not have to go, though... This place is just so..._ He shook his head, looking at the other two.

Luna nodded. "We wish the best of fortune for thee and thy folks, Red Feather."

Red Feather bowed to them. He smiled, nodding his head. "Thank thee for helping us. We would not be free without thee... Oh, we wilt always remember it!"

Luna smiled a little as she watched him open his wings to fly. "No need to thank us, really."

"I shalt go get some supplies from the infirmary, Princess, and then wilt be gone. But do not worry, I shalt send thee a letter as soon as I arrive at the Crystal Empire. I wilt do my best." He bowed his head, then started flying away.

"Bye-bye! Bye, everything is fine now, see ya! Bye!" Wilder waved at him as he and Luna watched the red crystal pegasus go. Oddly enough, Red Feather's coat had not recovered the shiny shimmer he had claimed to have been owned by the crystal ponies before Sombra's rule. Then again, Wilder did not consider that fact too much, already having grown distracted in one of his random games. "That shiny pony sure put us through something. Phew! Took quite some effort to get rid of those troublesome guys he brought along. Let's not let any strangers in for a while. that will be a great idea."

Luna smiled as she looked at him. "Funny thing for thee to say."

Wilder chuckled. "Hey, we already talked about that, I'm no stranger! Your sister said it herself, too!" He grabbed Luna in a headlock, ruffling her mane.

Luna squirmed a bit, laughing. "Wilder, stop!"

Wilder let her go after she opened her wings to prevent him from inflicting his usual torture that was bound to bring more 'undignified' laughter. "Or, you know, maybe we should let strangers in as soon as they appear. I love exciting stuff like this, it's gonna make the kingdom so much better! So much more fun, and adventure-filled. You guys are gonna have a blast with me!"

Luna shook her head, chuckling at his hopeless comment. "How ist Celestia doing, by the way?"

"Oh, she's nice and peachy. You know, sleeping in her room. She'll be feeling like new by tomorrow." He rubbed his claw against his chest, smirking. "Guess my healing spell did help after all. Go me. Don't worry, she just needs to rest."

Luna sighed as she walked forward. "Don't we all... We best go raise the moon now. We were delayed by this attack..." She watched the royal guards that still remained scattered across the city, working diligently. "Wilder, We wilt be busy for the rest of the night. What wilt thou do?" She glanced at her injured wing, then looked up at him.

Wilder thought for a bit. He bounced her a bit in his tail, making her laugh to lighten her mood. "Well, Celestia spoke of the library... I found her there this morning, studying. I think I'll go to there and try my luck finding something about myself."

"About thyself? Well, We suppose that ist a reasonable activity... Dost thou needst any help?"

"Oh, no, Luna, you take care of whatever it is you need to do. I'll be fine! Be sure to get some rest afterwards. We'll see you later!" He waved at her, then headed back to the palace.

She smiled a little as she watched him, before heading off to do assignments of her own.

* * *

Meep. Went and posted Chapter 15 before posting this one. How derpy is that. One of the longest chapters I've posted; eight pages on Google Docs! Anyway! Yay! Wilder saved Equestria after all! And Celestia's life, no less, ooh. How cute. It was his turn to comfort Celestia. And, he still wants to find out stuff about himself. Why do I have a feeling it won't end well...?

**You guys!** I'm thinking about making Chapter 15 a goodbye chapter between Red Feather and Nurse Pureheart. As you may have noticed if you read over the edits or earlier chapters, I am getting more fond of Red Feather, trying to give that background pony more 'background'. More depth. So, what better way to give him more depth than romantically connecting him to somepony! And the poor guy doesn't wanna leave Equestria... So tell me, would busting myself over a goodbye chapter between them be worth it? I need to know before I go ahead and get myself into that. It would be an entirely improvised chapter that I would have to work on from scratch. No RP stuff to base myself off, since in the RP we just kept this guy as a very distant background pony. Seriously, he just disappeared. So... Help? Hopefully you read over this update.


	15. Forced Epiphany

**Forced Epiphany**

Inside the palace's library, a unicorn mare was already waiting for Wilder to arrive. Her coat was light blue, with a dark blue, straight mane that never strayed too far from her body, even when she moved. She wore a dark hooded cloak that covered most of her body and her head, until she pulled the hood down. Her eyes were shining white, they seemed emotionless and distant. There was a strange feeling to the mare. One would immediately suspect that she was beyond the world everypony knew.

Wilder entered the vast room through another entrance. "Alright, let's get this boring research over with once and for all..." He looked up as he thought. "Hm... Well, how does one _research_, anyway...?" He sighed as he floated through the door. "I knew I should've watched Tia do it more often."

He blinked and turned around to look behind him, startled as the doors of the library shut once he entered. "What...? Whoa, I didn't do that..." He smirked, turning his attention forward. "Spooky! Gotta try that on Tia and Luna sometime..." He looked around the room, lighting it to see better. He tilted his head a bit when he saw the ghostly mare standing before him. "Ah..." _She must've been the one who did that. Cool._ He grinned cockily at her. "Ooh. And who might you be? That trick was pretty neat, you know. Would've scared anypony into jumping on one of the shelves or hiding under the tables or something. Too bad I'm too good for it to get me."

"You are... 'too good'... Interesting." Was all the mare said in response to his cocky greeting.

"Haven't seen you around here, have I? I think I'd remember somepony like you. You're quite different from all those other ponies in this kingdom. I don't care how different they look, they all look the same and boring to me." He let out an annoyed sigh before snapping his fingers and appearing next to her. "I also just saved them today, by the way. Bet they're gonna be so hyped up tomorrow. That'll be a nice break from boredom."

She kept watching him silently as he talked. She did not react in any way when she noticed he became a bit disappointed with her silence and lack of response.

"Ehh..." He rolled his eyes, muttering to himself. "Speaking of boredom..." He sat up in the air as he stared at her. "So, what's your name?"

The mare looked up at him to answer. Her face was still a serene, but serious mask. "I have no name. Neither do you, as of the moment."

Wilder smirked. "Oh, no, I do have a name now. Pretty cool, too. It's-"

The mare nodded as she interrupted him. "Wilder, yes. And I suppose the young Princess of the Sun gave it to you."

Wilder frowned a bit. "Hey, how do you know that? Are you a psychic? You're pretty good."

"I know everything about every creature that exists, in all possible planes. I have come to reveal your nature, and the true reason for your existence." She stepped closer to him and faced him as she spoke. "What do you believe you represent now?" She remained calm and emotionless towards the antics and pranks that he tried to pull on her. She did not even turn to look at him when he floated around her and out of her sight.

He gave her a look, speaking with a slightly annoyed tone. "Well. I believe in what I've discovered. And I've discovered that I am none other than the embodiment of Laughter and Joy."

"Hm. 'Laughter and joy', you say." She paced around a bit. "Have you any proof of this?"

Wilder smiled at her. He appeared a couple of things and levitated them in the air to prove his point. Streamers, balloons, sparkles, toys, even flares floated around them. "Of course! My touch for fun. And my magic tricks entertain ponies. They laugh and glee at my stuff. Really, that's a bit of a silly question, you know." He instantly disappeared all the floating things as he grew a bit impatient.

The mare stared at him before shaking her head. "I am sorry. But you are not that. You are the embodiment of Chaos and Disharmony. I will grant it, that does not mean evil and destructive intent, like with Sombra. It is, however, quite different. I will tell you your true name and your purpose. But... it will bring a sacrifice. Tell me. How do you feel about the princesses of this land? About this kingdom?"

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "The kingdom is small, but... It accepts me. Luna is a great friend... And Celestia..." He frowned a bit as he thought of the eldest princess. "I... I don't know, actually... She's even more different than the rest. She's not afraid or thinks badly of me..." He smiled proudly as he looked at the mare again. "She never did, you know. She's always shown the best of her towards me ever since we met. She even stood up for me, when all those uptight council ponies were talking badly about me. She's always so bright, kind, and optimistic, but she does enjoy cool tricks, like mine, when she sees them. As long as I don't 'overdo it', she likes my powers, and me, I suppose, a lot. I really like that. It's so different from what I thought this boring land and the folks in it would be. It makes me feel very good. Especially since she makes it all bearable, even the boring parts." He actually blushed as he spoke more of Celestia.

The mare listened to him patiently, thinking out loud only once he finished speaking. "...I see. 'Different'. Yes, that is..." She stepped forward as she looked at the floor. "That is love, as far as it can say."

Wilder raised an eyebrow and gave her a puzzled look. "It's what, now?"

She ignored Wilder's puzzlement as she lightly stomped her hoof against the floor. "However, it cannot be."

"What are you talking about? And why not?" Wilder did not like being told that he could not do things, even if he did not understand what those things were.

"It has to do with the truth, young one."

Wilder flew closer to her. "Well, out with this 'truth', whatever it is. Geez, you're making me impatient again. I don't understand what you're talking about, but even so, it's still boring as hay. Can't you get on with it?" He held his head in his claw as he stared at her, while laying on the air.

The mare shook her head. "If I were to tell you the truth, you would have to give up all that you know from now. Though... In the end, you must, regardless of whether I accept to give you the truth or not. Neither you nor I possess will of our own, nor the right to do what we desire." She spoke gravely as she looked at him.

"Hey, I don't like that talk! _You_ can be out of will, but not me! So cut it out."

She walked around some more. "You certainly have grown on your own. But... Considering the path of your true destiny, it has been in the wrong direction. If you continue, then the events of your destiny will go out of place."

"Good! I like things out of place, even my destiny!"

"It will not be as you think. In fact, the idea of it going astray, even for you, is unfathomable. It simply does not exist, that you would rewrite your fate in such a way. When I leave, you will have gone back into the right path, where you were intended to go in the first place."

He rolled his eyes, grinning at her. "Hah. Sorry, I'm my own boss, missy. No one tells me where I have to go or not. It's _my_ own direction."

"I am sorry. But things must change. It is for the best." She stepped back and closed her eyes. She decided that it was the right time to begin telling him about his true identity. "You are a Draconequus. Your true name is Discord. You are the embodiment of Chaos and Disharmony, and I can prove it. I can do so with the memories that you have lost prior to your arrival in here."

"Oh, you are full of...!" He gasped as she opened her eyes again. Somehow the mare began to intimidate him, so he floated away from her. He began to panic as he concentrated, but his magic would not respond. "What are you doing?! I can't use my magic!"

She sighed. "Young Discord, you have much to learn. No magic in this plane will work against me. Not even yours. There is an important duty that you must fulfill. In order to do so, I have to reveal your past to you. After I have done so, you will steer back in the right direction that is your fate. The following events will be for you to decide, yet for fate to unfold at due time."

"What... What are you talking about...?"

"You are powerful, but young. So are they. In this state that you are now, you are no help for your world. You must all grow to your full potential. You must embrace the roles given to you three by fate, in order to help this world develop into what it must become." She closed her eyes as she emitted the brightest flash of energy that anyone had ever seen. "Behold, Discord, the spirit of what you truly are. Your memories."

Wilder screamed and looked away. "No! Leave me alone!" He growled as he tried to move, his body shaking under the pressure. "No...!" His eyes glowed white, the spell of the mare starting to work in his mind. He fell on the floor, holding his head. "My... My head... It hurts... A-A voice...!" He stammered as he crawled on the floor. Fear and confusion stirred inside him. "What... What am I...?!"

The mare's eyes glowed brightly, though not as intensely as a second ago. She did not speak out loud, but her voice was still heard all around the room. _"You two are not meant to be together."_

"No! Stop it!"

_"It is the truth. You are different. You pretend to be what you are not for their sake. For their comfort."_

"Cut it out!"

_"You have to accept reality at some point. You will end up hurting them, and yourself, with your lies."_

"N-No!" He shook his head, gritting his teeth as he curled into a ball on the floor. "I-I don't wanna hurt her. I don't... I don't wanna lose them!" He looked up at her desperately. "Why are you telling me this?! What am I supposed to do?!"

The mare stepped forward, even as he scooted away from her. _"The answer is simple, though you wish to ignore it. Embrace what you truly are. Embrace your true self."_

"But..." He grunted in pain. "Y-Yeah... This... This isn't really... If I'm not... myself, then..." He whispered desperately as he tried to make sense of his pain and confusion, and what the mare was telling him to do.

_"Then ruin will come to them."_

Wilder shivered as he imagined the deserted, ruined land that the princesses so loved. He imagined the princesses themselves being harmed, as the mare predicted. "B-But that's unfair! Why would that happen to them?! We're doing nothing wrong, you're being selfish and unfair!"

_"...'Selfish' and 'unfair'. I am being so?"_

"Of course you are! You're not thinking about us at all, are you?! What they want. What _I_ want! I do whatever I please, I was created that way! Otherwise I wouldn't have this kind of magic! We're three creatures that can live however we choose to live!"

_"Young one, it is_ you _who is selfish. By demanding your 'freedom', you are chaining yourself and your friends further to what must be done. You are putting the fate that has been chosen, and every creature that will abide by it, in peril. Turning you away from this is for the greater good. If you remain in this path, your princesses will grow weak and frail, and they are not meant to. They will never learn. They will never grow. Like you, they will have no productivity. Their land will hardly evolve."_

"That's not true! They're doing a great job as it is! You're lying and exaggerating everything!"

_"It simply will not be this way. It is best that you accept and embrace your fate. Otherwise, forceful measures will be taken by Destiny. You three_ will _be separated, one way or another. It is best to do so like this, so that no one is injured, or lost-"_

"I want us to be together. All of us. I'll... I'll use my powers! My magic can do anything, it will even change your uptight Destiny! Yeah, that'll work! You haven't seen the last of me, you know. You're really underestimating me just because I don't speak in an echoey, uptight monotone, and glow around. I'll show you and your Destiny, whoever you are! I'll use my powers to keep us together!" He opened his eyes wide, the corner of his mouth twitching into a grin as thoughts and memories painfully rushed through him.

_"It does not matter what or who you are, but what-"_ He could heard Celestia's voice echo in his head.

Wilder cried out, shaking his head. "It... It does! It _does_ matter! What am I?! Who am I?!" He panted, the memories that had been unleashed upon him beginning to fade. "No! B-Bring them back! I want to see them!" He pleaded as he grasped at the air with his claws.

The mare stood over him, watching him silently. "Now you must fall from your make-believe grace."

Wilder glared up at the mare. He growled as he grabbed her and lifted her up. He glared at her expressionless face with desperate eyes. "Show me everything. Show it all to me. I want to know everything that I am!" His eyes glowed white again, briefly.

"To show you requires a sacrifice. You must give up the knowledge that you have already gained, in order to gain more. You must give up the lies in order to see and learn the truth." She looked at him calmly as she spoke, and showed him visions of his time with the princesses and the kingdom.

Wilder answered immediately, without the slightest hesitation. "Take it! Take it all! They're lies anyway, aren't they? It's been lies all this time... We won't be friends if we keep them up, if we don't see things how they really are..." He chuckled as he glared up while speaking to himself, yet still to the mare. "I won't leave them. I'll keep them by my side with nothing but the truth. I'll save the friendship we've made, they'll be so happy and thankful for it. And I'll do it all on my own! With no more lies, no more secrets."

The mare remained silent as he spoke. "Already the choice has begun to break you... Perhaps you were not as far from the road as I thought."

He held his head, groaning for a bit before quickly turning to the mare again. "Shut up! I don't want to hear any more of your useless puzzles. Do what you came here to bother me for already. Go on! Show me the TRUTH!" He gasped as she touched his forehead with her hoof, making his eyes turn empty and dull. His body began to relax as well.

"Calm yourself, child. I have heard your pleas and will take your sacrifice. Be content with your new life. The memories within you will awake, and you will see what you wish." She stepped down on the floor as she slipped from Wilder's slack grip, watching his arms fall at his sides. She closed her eyes as her horn glowed, helping the draconequus lay back on the floor as the trance of the memories put him deeper under. "Can you hear me?"

He didn't answer her, staring off into space with a blank expression.

"I am sorry. I cannot help or say more. I must not. You are not what you were led to believe. I believe that after this, you will be in the right direction." She gently held his face in her hoof, looking into his eyes. "Awake, child. The time of your deceitful slumber is over. You must wake up and face your fated reality."

He groaned as her touch began to bring him back to reality. "W-Wait..."

She looked down as the pain began to return to him.

He managed to whisper to her. "No... Don't... go..." He tried in vain to push himself up, barely conscious.

"...I suppose I can do you one last kindness." She set his head down, leaving his mind blank once again. "It will take longer for the trance to end this way, but it will give you a few moments of painless oblivion. Embrace them to their fullest, it is all that I can give. When I disappear, Discord, you will not remember anything about me or our conversation." She vanished into blinding light, though he did not notice and no longer called out to her.

~~~

Luna eyed the library suspiciously. She did not have a very good feeling about the atmosphere that had enveloped the palace. It had not been long since the attack on their land was over, so everything was naturally still on edge. Still, Luna perceived something... different. That Wilder was being awfully quiet in the library, which place that would bore him out of his wits as the libra did not help calm her, either. She did not hear the laughter, chatter, or the noisy clatter of tricks that he had become famous and known for. In fact, he had spent an awful lot of time in a place that would go against his energetic, loud nature. "Perhaps there ist a book section that he needst assistance with."

The young draconequus laid on the floor, in pain and confusion. His eyes were shut tight as he slowly returned from the trance. It had finished its memory, mind warping purpose and left him a broken-down, exhausted, and stunned mess. He whispered a single word, over and over. "D-Discord... Discord..."

Luna stepped into the library, finding some books out of place, but otherwise untouched. "Strange..." She blinked when he heard Wilder whisper. She followed his voice and gasped when she found him. "Wilder!" She walked over to him and stared down at him worriedly. "Wilder? What hast happened? Art thou alright? Wilder...!" She gently spoke to him as she knelt down beside him. She shook him slightly and frowned when he did not respond. "Wilder?"

"Dis... Discord..." He continued to whisper.

"Wilder, stop it. What ist it? Art thou hurt?" She smiled only a little when she saw him push himself up.

He opened his eyes and stood up dizzily. He smashed against bookshelves as he clumsily walked forward, though he did not seem to mind. He hardly, if at all, noticed Luna.

"Wilder, wait, please." She stood up and walked after him, careful not to injure her bandaged wing. She supported him as best as she could before he fell over. "Perhaps thou shouldst lay down for the night. It hast been a rather stressful day... night... and, thou dost not seem to be doing too well." She touched his lion paw with her hoof and smiled a bit at him.

"Yes... That... That is... great..." 'Discord' spoke, still confused and dizzy. He followed Luna to his quarters, paying little to no mind to his surroundings.

Luna watched him as they entered his bedroom. _Maybe battling those two actually took more energy than we thought. But, this ist strange..._ She stepped closer, still worried. "Wouldst thou liketh us to call for a doctor, Wilder?" She set her front hooves softly on the bed once he sat on it. She continued to observe him closely, though was careful to give him some space.

"No, I'm fine." He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Just... Just come closer, Luna. Please." He laid beneath the covers. He could barely keep his eyes open as he called Luna to him. He really looked unlike him, he had never behaved anything like that since he'd arrived in their kingdom.

Luna scooted closer to his side. "Thou art worrying us. We had yet to see thee like this. What ist it?" She wondered about what to do. If she told Celestia, she would d definitely be worried as well and refuse to go back to sleep. Luna herself was pretty tired, but could not rest knowing things were bad with Wilder.

"I-I just feel weird... Tired..." He held his head again for a brief moment. Then he leaned in and hugged Luna caringly, unaware that he had startled her. "I just had a feeling... A feeling that worries me, as if... As if I won't see you again. I never meant to hurt you... I just wanted... I want to be friends, but if I keep it up... I have a feeling, things are... changing..."

Luna frowned with confusion as she stared at him. "Wilder, what... What art thou talking about?"

Wilder didn't seem to listen her. "Glad... you understand... It was... nothing?" He smiled a little, patting her head.

"Wilder, wait-"

He laid back down and sighed. "...I'm sorry..."

"Wilder, listen-"

He smiled at her. "I'm being dramatic here. Sorry, little Luna. I... I won't take more of your time, you must be exhausted, too..." He yawned, his head drowsily swaying a bit.

Luna's tone was even more worried as she tried to speak to him again. She stood up just a bit as his eyes began to close. "Wilder, We..."

"...Some rest... You'll see... I'll get you laughing... in the morn..." He muttered before he inadvertently collapsed on his bed, exhausted. He was snoring in a short while.

She blinked as she stared at him with surprise. "...The morning..." She chuckled and put her hoof in his eagle claw as he snored. She brushed the tuft of mane out of his eyes, watching him as he slept peaceful and deeply. "We look forward to that. We wilt always be friends, Wilder."

He moaned, turning his head over to the side.

She patted his claw. "We... We art sorry We wereth not so kind to thee in the beginning. But, We art glad things have changed. Thou hast become such a good friend to us... A brother, almost." She nuzzled against his claw. "Thank thee for caring about us so much, Wilder." She leaned over to kiss his cheek, then gasped in surprise as Wilder turned over and dropped his heavy lion paw on her. "Oof!" She winced a bit as the paw touched her injured wing. "Ow..."

She looked up at him and saw that he was still out like a light. She smiled a little as she climbed up on his bed. She slipped back under his heavy paw with effort, cuddling into it. "Good night, our friend."

He snorted, mumbling something in his sleep before nuzzling into the pillow, his tail twitching.

She sighed and shook her head at his sleep talking. "It ist a good thing We art so tired. Thou art so active and fretful, even in thy sleep!" She giggled a bit, then closed her eyes and fell fast asleep with him.

* * *

Well... This is how 'Wilder' turned into Discord, in the RP that I have with my friend. I think it's a pretty cool take on it. The mare kept reminding me of Zecora... I feel proud of little Wilder, I edited this and made him put more of a fight with his attitude! Well, before he slipped away and turned... mad-like.

Felt bad for cute little teenage Discord. This has got to be the cutest I've seen of him yet. Poor Discord, but, it had to happen. Sadly, he couldn't be Wilder forever. Or, we wouldn't have much action in the story, or much of a story to begin with. Well, at least he spent some more quality time with Luna. Even if he wasn't really aware of that time and slipped out cold before she gave him a touching apology. Oh, the feels with these two. Wish my relationship with my siblings was this good.


	16. Fall from Grace

**Fall from Grace**

Discord woke up at early morning, stretching himself. He felt rather exhausted, and had a major headache. He groaned and swayed a bit as he held his head. "What the... Ow... What happened...?" He looked around, blinking when he noticed Luna asleep on his bed. She was tugging at his lion paw.

"What's this?" He leaned over to her. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her sleep. "Little Luna."

"Wilder..." Luna sighed in her sleep.

He scratched his head. "Aww, look at the little filly. Sleeping so soundly. So trustful of me. My. I sure have become such a good friend, haven't I? I've become... So nice. So cute. So... _orderly,_ YUCK!" He teleported himself above the bed and out the window. "I mean, look at this! What the heck is this?! This place looks so horrible, I'm gonna be sick! SO boring...!"

He floated around the room, frustrated. "No wonder things were going to end up the way they were... Well..." He smirked as he looked at his claw. "I have to prevent that now, don't I?"

Luna rubbed her eyes and yawned as she sat up on the bed. "Wilder...?" She frowned a little as she watched him hover around the room in such an agitated manner. "Art thou feeling-" She gasped as he snapped his fingers, trapping her in a bubble of jello. _"Wilder?!"_

"Wilder who, dear? Pleasant morning, isn't it? Or at least, I'm about to make it pleasant." Discord snickered as he watched Luna try to escape her prison. "Nothing's wrong with havin' some fun, right? Besides, it's a proper way of celebration for the events of yesterday! Perfect to celebrate our...! No. MY victory!"

Luna tried to talk to him. She tried to move, too, but found that her movements greatly limited by the sticky substance. She could not be heard, either.

Discord rolled his eyes as Luna gave him an annoyed, confused look. "Ah, I'm done with you. You're the biggest bore of all, you know that?" He flicked his claw fingers, making the jello move. He snickered when he splattered the jello on the wall, sticking Luna to it. "Alright, _that_ was actually pretty funny. See ya around, Luna!" He vanished from the room. He smirked as he continued to change things around the palace grounds, his headache increasing, yet fading at the same time. The pain drove him mad, but also incited great thoughts and ideas for his creations, unlike those he had ever had before.

~~~

Some minutes later, Celestia woke up feeling much better, as well as great gratitude to her sister and those that had fought so valiantly the day before, particularly Wilder.

She raised the sun and quickly made sure that she looked her best. She ordered as best a breakfast as was sensible, given the delicate conditions of the kingdom. She was sure that a good speech would lift everypony's spirits after the meal.

She muttered to herself in front of the mirror as she finished brushing her mane. "It's so embarrassing. I didn't know anything else until I woke up this morning. Dear, I hope no one takes it badly..."

Once she walked out of the room, she was greeted by servants that awaited for her instructions.

Celestia looked at Minute Passer as he finished his report. "Thank you for working so hard, Minute Passer. Have you seen Wilder anywhere?"

"Oh, no, Princess, I-I have not."

"Luna is not around, either... She probably has gone to bed now."

Minute Passer looked at Celestia again. "Shall we go get Princess Luna and... um... Wilder, Your Highness?"

"No, it's okay. They'll come down when they feel well enough. I can wait for them, thank you." She actually felt more nervous than she sounded. Wilder had saved her life, after all. She wasn't sure of what she should say to him.

"Come now, it's nothing difficult... Simply thank him and, well, have a good day, like we normally would. Just, be grateful to him, it's simple..." She sighed. "It's... not really that simple. I mean, there's something... something else, isn't there? Wh-What if he wants me to say something else? How exactly do I thank him for saving my life and the kingdom without sounding... like he saved my life and the kingdom. I don't want it to sound too formal, he doesn't like formalities... B-But I don't want him to think I undervalue his gesture, of course not...!"

She shook her head. "Oh, this is hopeless. Some imagination you have, Celestia. Turning simple thanks into such a big..." She blinked, realizing that she was blushing as she looked at herself in a mirror from the hall. "Wh-What? Oh, dear, don't think too much into it!" She suddenly felt even worse.

~~~

Discord appeared above the palace grounds, looking down at the frightened servants. He grinned as he summoned a giant gray cloud over the palace and the villages around the grounds. "Our prognostication for today... HEAVY WEATHER!" From the cloud, ice-sculpted hippos and elephants began raining and collapsing over the city.

The ponies did not waste one second to try to get away from the falling, massive animals. They screamed and ran in a frenzy, trying to find shelter from the bizarre, dangerous rain.

Discord laughed hysterically as he watched. "These ponies really need to share my vision! I'll show them how magnificent it truly is to be in chaos and disharmony! What do you think?" He turned to speak to a bunny that he held in his claw, to which he quickly gave fly wings and eyes. He unleashed several of those mutant animals like a swarm over the farming fields and the villages, laughing even more as the chaos increased. "Oh, this is just too good!"

~~~

Celestia gasped as she stared outside. She watched as everything changed so suddenly. Ponies were being tormented by all kinds of bizarre things that appeared out of nowhere. Some of those things even got to a dangerous point if the ponies did not move away quickly.

"What...?!" She looked aside, but there was not much difference at all in the change of scenery. There were still subjects of her everywhere, chased around by the odd creations, frightened and confused out of their hooves. "E-Everypony, please calm down, it's going to-"

She made her way through the grounds, watching her subjects as she tried to calm them down. "Listen, it's-don't worry, I'll do my-please listen to me!" It was no use. The whole growing kingdom, all the villages that made the city, had gone out of control the more she tried to pull it back together.

"This..." She sighed and shook her head. "Wilder." She'd recognize the strange and bizarre magic anywhere. But, as she observed the enchanted things and mutated animals, she noticed that the magic itself was different. Quite unsettling.

The Sun Princess covered her head with her wing as she kept walking through the grounds, until she spotted Discord. She made her way through sticky puddles of caramel and other substances, until she was beneath him. She felt more uneasy and nervous the more she approached him, but she did not let that (and the swarm of flying gummy bears and animals) stop her. She grunted as she cleaned the mess that the gummy little things had left, and gasped when she saw that they went on to attack other unsuspecting pony victims. She glared back up at Discord. "Wilder! What are you doing? We've talked about this, about your magic!"

She screamed a bit as she quickly dodged one of the fallen hippos. "What in the world...?!"

She looked up and groaned a bit as she noticed that the draconequus had completely ignored her, too wrapped up in the enjoyment that his chaos brought. To him, anyway.

"Wilder! Are you listening to me?!"

Discord laughed, speaking to no one in particular. "Look at those! Can't believe they can't get out of that apple sauce. All they have to do is eat it! Without swallowing it, of course. Even I don't like to be tickled from the inside"

Celestia sighed and shook her head, frowning with determination. She flew up and set herself right before Discord to speak to him.

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Ah, it's you. Out of the way, Tia, you're blocking the view."

"Once again, you're taking things too far. I thought you'd already understood, Wilder. It's okay to want to lighten the mood, but..." She flew to the side to dodge another massive animal again. "Wilder, you're endangering everypony! Please make something a bit milder! I'm sure everypony will enjoy that to their best instead?"

Discord yawned.

She tried again, still giving him a nervous smile. "I understand that you're trying to make everypony feel better. I like that, you always have such fun intentions in mind. Don't worry about them screaming, they just-it takes a bit for them to understand your feelings. But I do, Wilder. I get that you're trying to help, just... Let's try a different approach, alright?"

She had a feeling things were going to be severely different that morning. Not that the raining animals hadn't been enough of a hint. It was something that he had said earlier that she didn't get to hear completely. Something about chaos and disharmony...

She suddenly remembered Dust Tail's advice and warning.

_"We cannot trust him, Thy Highness... We do not know what his intentions are... Thou best prepare, Thy Highness, we cannot expect anything good from that creature..."_

It was as though the Council had prophesied that something like this would happen. They saw it coming, she was the only one who did not. The eldest princess of the land, the very ruler did not suspect anything at all. That, that was if her council's words and fears were true.

Her eyes opened wider, her heart beat faster as she thought about the horrible idea. Had Wilder turned...? _No. No, it couldn't be. Wilder's just fooling around. He must have gotten carried away, is all. He doesn't mean the ponies any harm, everypony just misunderstands. He probably messed up and did not feel like trying as hard after how tiring yesterday was. He's just made a few mistakes. That's all. He likes jokes, this is just another joke of his. He thinks it's funny. He'll change his approach in no time._ Somehow the thoughts didn't quite convince her.

Discord teleported behind her, giving her an annoyed look. "Oh, come now, Tia. Have you always been this cheesy? Ewgh. Look, I'm just warming up! Ponies can't take it? Not my problem. This is the beginning of a new age. THE AGE OF CHAOS!"

Celestia stared at him with surprise. "Ch-Chaos...?!"

He put his claw around her, pulling her closer to him. "Picture it, Tia. The new world of Chaos and Disharmony, where nothing, anywhere, makes sense! That will be the most fun, you know." He turned her to look at her. "Why don't you join me? We can change this world together! Nothing will keep us apart anymore in a haven like this!" He grinned and stretched his paw out to her as he gave her his proposal.

Celestia gasped, giving him an alarmed look. "W-Wilder... But... We, we already talked about this!" She pulled away from him. "This is not bringing any of the citizens fun. It is not like before! What's happened to you?!"

Discord raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? It's just-"

Celestia spoke seriously as she stared at him cautiously. "Stop it at once and let's talk. Chaos and disharmony will not bring any good to the land. It will not hold anypony together or help us grow. I think we seriously should go over this again..."

He rolled his eyes at her, disregarding her request completely. "Oh, please. You and your boring talks. I don't feel like hearing them this morning!" He laughed as he unleashed more bizarre events upon the city, ignoring her and her pleas.

"Wilder, stop it!"

"You stop it, you're getting annoying! Just look at this! You usually love what I make, don't be hypocritical and tell me you hate it now, Celestia!" He looked at her expectantly. "Huh? The bouncing cake? The lemonade? The upside-down chocolate milk slide? The fireworks? You loved it all, so why hate it now?"

She didn't know how to respond to his strange and uncontrolled behavior. It was so different and so sudden from before. "I-I... I did like it, but... It... It was different... So different..." She stammered as she looked at the villages while they struggled with the chaotic magic. _I can't believe it... Did I... Did I do something wrong to lead him to believe this? That this... Was alright? It can't be..._

She stepped forward in the air, deciding to try again at confronting him. She was not going to budge. "What has gotten into you?! I thought we had agreed on something different! The tricks of your magic that I liked did not harm anypony! You said you were going to bring joy to everypony in the kingdom, that you would control it for that reason alone. But right now, you'll end up hurting somepony. Did you already forget, Wilder? We agreed on that!"

Discord looked around himself with an expression of feigned worry. Then he looked at Celestia. "Oh, dear... I..." He clenched his fists and grinned again, cutting his act. "The only agreement I'll accept will be that of an unorganized world. A CHAOTIC WORLD!"

He floated backwards, leaning down in the air. "Last night I recovered my real memories. My purpose, my past, everything, Tia. It all became so clear!" He laughed, looking around at the destroyed land. "I was not sent to bring joy and laughter, this world is simply dull. I am here to change that. I'm here to finally rid us all of the lies that would've sent us into boring order, into ruin!" He approached her and whispered to her. "And my real name, by the way... is **DISCORD!**" He turned and with a flash of light cracked the ground in pieces, each segment floating on its own. The streets, houses and palace as well were dismembered.

Celestia grunted, bracing herself as the force of the chaotic magic broke the city apart. She faced Discord again. "STOP IT! I don't believe that. I won't believe that! You helped us, Wilder! And you got along so well with everypony! Don't expect me to believe that you're just going to throw all that away for... for..."

"You don't believe I've changed my mind about these lies?"

"Lies?!"

Discord shook his head. "Then you're more naive than I thought, Celestia! So foolish..."

"I'm not foolish. I believe in you! That's another story!"

"You believe in Wilder, that's different! Wilder was a lie. I'm the true creature you should set your sights on! I'm the one who was with you all along! This is the real me, but I'm still the same, you know."

"You're not the same."

"Am too! What's so bad about wanting to clear everything up?! It's wise to change your mind when you see you've made mistakes. And I made big ones! I'm embracing what I truly am right now, THIS is what I really represent here. Chaos and disharmony! If your little world doesn't like it..."

Celestia shook her head, flying closer to him. "Please, I don't want to fight you! It has to be something else. I don't believe that such horrible things are your purpose! You have shown anything but that so far. You have made us all laugh and have fun. You made things entertaining and interesting. You gave them life of their own, and a new meaning. You made things have a new meaning here. Wilder... You _saved_ my life!"

**"MY NAME IS DISCORD!"** The city was divided into ten cracked and floating pieces, with the castle in complete ruin. He quickly shook his head to the side to move the tuft of mane between his eyes, so he could glare at Celestia properly. "Yes, I saved your life. You know how you could return the favor, Tia? By quitting this boring world and joining me into the new one! One where we don't have to lie to one another!"

"What?! Wait-"

He grabbed her hoof and pulled her closer. "Let's rebuild this world to its proper state, just you and me! What do you say to that, dear princess?" His question sounded mocking in his voice.

"This... But, this isn't..." She looked down. "This isn't the you I... like. Not the one I... Not the one we owe our lives to." She looked up at him, crying. "What's so wrong with being 'Wilder'? What's wrong with being somepony kind and funny, that doesn't harm others, but helps them and brings laughter to everyone? Just because what you became with us is not in your 'memories' does not mean it is not true! I told you that what you are doesn't matter to me. It's what you do, how you are and what you give to others, and you were so good, Wilder... I... I had never met anypony like that before!"

She dared fly up to him again, even though he glared, growled, and retreated from her a few inches. "What's wrong with being the one that earned my respect, affection, and my friendship, Wilder?! It does not mean that you are a lie. I can't fight you, Wilder. I can't fight so dear a friend. So please, don't... Please stop this." She looked at him again, pleadingly. She told the truth with each of her words. He really did mean so much to her... She really did not want to fight him, she did not even have the intention in her. The very thought was painful unlike anything else, as painful as watching her kingdom suffer.

Discord looked at her, then smirked and chuckled. "Heh, heh. Oh, Tia, you are SO wrong..." He muttered as he raised his tail behind her.

From below the mountain appeared a bearded colt of violet color, wearing a blue hat and a cape with bells on the ends. He seemed rather old, but powerful and wise. He shot a blast of blue energy in Discord's direction. The attack hit the draconequus, teleporting him to another site.

The pony teleported to the base of one of the castle's floating ruins, then and created a force field amended the whole cracked mountain. He looked at Celestia. "Celestia, it seems my timing couldst not be any more precise."

Celestia looked at the unicorn pony with shock. "M-Master! I..."

Luna flew down over to them. She spoke anxiously as she looked at Celestia. "What hast come over Wilder?!" She grunted as she shook one of her hind legs. Apparently, she was still working on getting the sticky substance completely off her coat.

Celestia felt as though she would start crying again. "I'm not sure..."

Starswirl the Bearded coughed violently, and panted with struggle. "That spell took much of my energy, I'm too old for this..." He glared at Celestia and Luna. "Princesses, what ist the meaning of this? Word arrivest to my ears of an army of black creatures and changelings invading the land. Then thou welcometh me with a... draconequus tearing thy parents' city apart?"

Celestia and Luna blinked as they endured Starswirl's reprimand.

Celestia spoke as Luna lowered her head in shame. "Master... You know what... what he is?"

"I have lived for quite some time and thus have experienced and learned of many ancient things. But that ist not the point. Celestia, thou convinced me to believe that thou were ready to take leadership. Why didst thou not fight that creature as soon as thou saw harm? Thy citizens were in danger, Celestia, why didst thou not act precisely? Or a better question yet, why didst thou let such a creature here in the first place?"

Celestia lowered her head as Starswirl questioned her. She felt ashamed of herself, and more broken than she already was. She could hardly think of anything to say. When she spoke, she did so weakly. "I... I-I'm sorry, Master. You are right. I, I should have acted..." She mentally cringed and berated herself for her pathetic, poor excuse. Which was not really an excuse. It wasn't anything. "I don't understand how this happened, he was so..."

Luna tried to explain things herself, though she was quite puzzled and hurt by their friend's behavior, as much as Celestia was. "Master, Wilder wast not acting like this before. He became our friend, a true, close friend. He wast so nice to us! But... But..."

She could not believe things had changed so quickly. When she awoke, terrible things were already happening all around the palace, and to the palace itself. Not to mention the nasty good morning her best friend had greeted her with. He had behaved in an unrecognizable manner, and now this display of irrational, and dangerous, magic...

Her thoughts went back to what Wilder had said to her the night before, but she quickly thought of something else. The idea of losing her best friend frightened her so, even more than Nightmare Moon did. The trouble had to be due to some other reason, some misunderstanding...

"And it wast all deception." Starswirl coughed slightly. "Thy 'friend' nearly tore the kingdom that thou both loveth apart, that should have been enough for either one of thee to act immediately and stop him." He sighed and walked closer to them. "Thou art leaders. As such, thy friends wilt NEVER be of bigger importance than the citizens and subjects that thou art commended to protect."

Luna looked down, feeling very ashamed of herself. She was so responsible when it came to her duties. Though very young, and even since she was younger yet, she had given up so many joys and pleasures... She had kept herself from enjoying the kingdom and the ponyfolk that she ruled over in order to ensure its safety. She had worked so hard and kept herself distant because of this, until Wilder arrived. Wilder really had been a blessing to her and the kingdom. So she could not understand why he suddenly...

She frowned as she tried to piece her thoughts together. It couldn't all been just a trick, could it? There was no way... There was no way he could have done something so cruel, lying to them all along, gaining their trust to later betray them in such a way. That just was not possible. But, the more she tried to convince herself that it was impossible... The more plausible it actually seemed, especially with the screams of their subjects and the noises of their kingdom falling apart as emphasis to her fearful doubts.

She closed her eyes and lowered her head again. She could not think of anything to say to their master.

Celestia shook her head, speaking apologetically to Starswirl. "We are sorry, Master Starswirl. You're right. I should not have hesitated. I thought that, perhaps I could... I thought I could fix things, I thought he would understand." She turned serious as she continued to speak. "But alas, I was wrong. I made a terrible mistake, and I will do all I can to correct it."

Luna nodded and followed after her sister's determined example. She looked at Starswirl in the eyes. "We shalt do our best to restore the kingdom, Master Starswirl. No matter what it takest."

Celestia searched within her to find her courage and feeling of duty. She could not allow the chaos to continue. Even if it conflicted with her feelings, and made her heart ache. She had to be strong for her people. "Yes. We will fight and restore peace to the land, even if..." She sighed. "Even if we have to take him down. We will, Master Starswirl. We will fight him with our best, if the situation calls for it." She tried her best not to hesitate with those words.

She opened her wings and looked at Luna. "Let's go, Luna. We have to do our best against... Discord." She had to get used to the idea that their friend had changed. For the worst. She had to confront reality, she had to stop trying to avoid what was happening, and instead look at the problem in the face to save her kingdom.

Wilder, her best friend, was no more. He could not be. No matter what he said or how much she wanted to lie to herself, he had disappeared as of... as of last night. Wilder was not there at the moment. He probably had never even there to begin with. There was also that chilling, agonizing probability that Celestia had to confront, no longer hide from. She acknowledged the possibility, but soon stopped thinking about it. She stopped thinking about her best friend's change altogether.

Luna looked up at her worriedly. "Discord? But-"

"He has stated it himself, Luna. His name is 'Discord'. We shall address him as such, if he so wishes. Let's go." She started to fly, followed closely by Luna.

North of the city, far away but still within sight, the mountains seemed to have a ring of clouds surrounding them. Thunder clashed down and odd colors appeared to cover the mountains.

Starswirl stepped towards the divided main city of the kingdom. He looked up at the princesses. "I shall guard the city. Go! Vanquish this new evil, send it back to the abyss!" He yelled as the princesses took flight, away to the mountains.

Celestia sighed, charging straight ahead. "Be prepared, Luna."

Luna nodded as she looked at the mountains. "Yes, sister. We wilt be. Do not worry, We wilt be by thy side at all times, to defend thee."

Celestia smiled a little, admiring her little sister's courage, despite everything that was happening and causing them pain. She flew ahead, leading her sister to the battle of their lives.

* * *

Well, Discord has officially begun his, um, alteration of Equestria. Or, the early kingdom, as it has no name yet. He wants to take over, having already lost himself to his evil purpose. But, he had somewhat nice intentions! He gave up to the darkness because he thought the 'light' that he had been living on so far had been a lie.

But the darkness consumed him. It drove him even so far as to try to attack Celestia, had Starswirl the Bearded not interfered. We know how everything will turn out in the end, but... Let's just hope things go easy for the princesses, and Discord himself.


	17. Facing Chaos

**Facing Chaos**

North of the city, far away but still within sight, the mountains seemed to have a ring of clouds surrounding them. Thunder clashed down and odd colors appeared to cover the mountains.

Starswirl stepped towards the divided main city of the kingdom. He looked up at the princesses. "I shall guard the city. Go! Vanquish this new evil, send it back to the abyss!" He yelled as the princesses took flight, away to the mountains.

Celestia sighed, charging straight ahead. "Be prepared, Luna."

Luna nodded as she looked at the mountains. "Yes, sister. We wilt be. Do not worry, We wilt be by thy side at all times, to defend thee."

Celestia smiled a little, admiring her little sister's courage, despite everything that was happening and causing them pain. She flew ahead, leading her sister to the battle of their lives.

~~~

The princesses stopped in mid-air once they finally arrived at the mountain site. They glared up at their former friend once he showed up.

A tornado sealed the area around the three. Discord descended from above, his arms folded as he stared at them with a bored expression. "Well, well, well. Look who's come to visit. The precious royal sisters! Here to stop my creations and my progress, I suppose? Oh, I should be _quivering_ with fear..." He spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Celestia stepped forward, giving Discord a stern stare. She hesitated a bit, but spoke nonetheless. "Thou leaveth us no choice, Discord. We... were indeed thy friends..."

Discord grimaced, grinning wickedly at her as he shoved her back. "Oh, shut up, Tia. This way of speech of Luna's really doesn't suit you. It's stupid, so is Luna. Fitting."

Luna frowned, immediately annoyed at Discord's lack of manners. However, she remained collected and serious as she flew forward to stare right at him. "We cannot afford to have thee destroy our kingdom. Our duty ist to our people. If thou shalt threateneth them, then thou shalt be stopped."

_At the moment, my duty is to the ponyfolk of our kingdom. Not... Not to my heart._Celestia's horn glowed as she disappeared the bizarre objects and animals surrounding Discord, returning most of them to normal. "Discord, thou hath but one more chance to stop this. As the dear friend that thou wast to us, we shalt give thee that chance. But this must all end. Thou cannot bring chaos and harm to our land and expect us to forgive thee."

"Everything wilt end if thou chooseth not our option. We wilt... We wilt have to give thee up, just as thou wilt, Discord. It means that everything we went through and experienced since thou arrived meant... nothing." Celestia, surprisingly, kept a very collected and serious face as Luna said this.

Discord frowned. He gave them a look after he glanced at his surroundings. "Hm. Well, let's see, shall we?" He counted the requisites with the fingers of his eagle claw. "My power surrendered, my purpose replaced, my freedom chained!" He closed his eagle claw into a fist. "You two should really think about what you're asking me to give up here!"

He snapped his fingers and the sisters were surrounded by small spheres of green fire with his face over each one. "You two think you _know_ what I would be giving up? You don't. You don't have the slightest clue what this kind of power and REAL joy feels like."

Another sphere of fire spun around them once the other finished speaking. "You two think you can _stop_ me? You can't! I am Discord, Master of Chaos and Disharmony!"

All the flames gathered in one spot before them, speaking at the same time. "Our time together made me realize that I was not accepted for who I really was, but for whom YOU wanted me to be. You did not think about that now, did you?"

Celestia seemed shocked and hurt by what Discord thought of their time together. "That isn't true... Discord... How could you think..." She snapped back to her senses, however, when she saw the joyous smirk on his face. He had purposely stomped on her feelings and the happy memories of their time together, to deliberately hurt her.

Well, she would not give him the pleasure. Neither she nor Luna would follow along his hurtful game. She shook her head and hardened her eyes once again, making Discord chuckle. "My sister and I are not going to argue about the past with you anymore. It is pointless at the moment. It is clear now that your choice is to remain by your practice."

Luna stared at Discord. "That ist not a wrong choice, but it certainly ist not right. What thou art or representest no longer matters. It ist thy threatening power that must be stopped." She stomped her hooves on the air that she flew over. "And we hath becometh determined to stop it!" Her eyes glowed a bit as she extinguished all of the flames at once.

Celestia stepped forward. "We are no longer playing games, Discord. We may be young, but we certainly are not useless. As the princesses and protectors of this land, we are much stronger than we let on. In fact, we will show you just how strong we are, right now!" She quickly shot a burst of energy at him.

Discord caught the attack in his hand and curled it into a ball. "In that case, I really hope you have a few reality-bending magic counter spells prepared, princesses." He threw the spell back, aiming at Luna. He laughed as thunder struck the area. "You fools! I can't believe it, you still think you stand a chance against me?! I. Am. UNSTOPPABLE!"

Luna vanished the blast before it hit her. She glared at Discord as her horn glowed with her magic aura. Everything around them was cloaked in darkness.

"Oh, please." Discord rolled his eyes and stretched his arms out, summoning a blast of air around him. The wind was strong enough to push anything away from him. "Thought that Night Cloak would be enough cover with me around, Luna?"

Luna grunted a bit, trying her hardest to fly through the wind. Once she steadied herself a bit, she shot another blast of magic at Discord.

"Think again!" Discord flicked his hand. He made the strong air current hold the blast of air in front of him. "Hey, I think this is yours."

Luna gasped and let herself be carried by the wind to avoid the attack that Discord had countered. "This wilt not be enough..." She started to fly at different sides to try to catch Discord with other spells.

Celestia narrowed her eyes as she thought. She quickly went over everything that she had learned from her mentors, from her parents. _A spell that is powerful enough to truly be a match for Discord's special magic... There has to be something..._ However, no matter how hard she thought, how much she tried to put everything she had learned and read together, no such spell came to mind. She had seen nothing about a... 'draconequus' in the library. Of course she would not have seen any way to match its power.

She shook her head. "But... No, I'm not giving up that easily. There has to be something. Some power. Perhaps not one spell in specific, but some force that we can use. Think, Celestia, what brings power...?" She watched her sister battle Discord while she thought restlessly of a strategy. _Emotions bring power and strength. They bring courage and the force to go against all evil. What is that which could defeat evil like this? What are these forces?_

Luna grunted as her shield was broken by Discord's magic. She looked at Celestia. "Sister, We wilt not hold on much longer!"

"Try your hardest, Luna, keep fighting him!" Celestia closed her eyes and teleported away from Discord's lightning spell. She stepped back as she hid again. "This won't hold too long..."

"Sister, We cannot!" Luna flew out of Discord's way. She blasted him back when he tried to get past her to attack Celestia.

"Just trust me! I'll think of something!"

Discord chuckled. "Such a coward you turned out to be, Tia... Luna will be nothing, I'll be done with her in minutes! Just you watch." He turned around to look for Celestia. "Where are you...?"

"The battle ist against us, Discord!" Luna charged a magic spell and shot it at him. She watched him scream as the energy from the night magic hit him. Then she stepped back when he prepared to counter. _Be fast, sister..._

Celestia watched the battle. She swallowed a bit, then closed her eyes again. "Don't worry. I just have to hurry..." She concentrated as her horn began to glow. After a few seconds, as she continued to think, her whole body was aglow. _Forces that the enemy is not even aware of... Trust, that is certain. There must be absolute trust between allies in order to stand together. Trust, which is brought by... Honesty. No lies between allies and partners. Complete confidence in one another to mislead the enemy, that's Honesty!_

Luna tried to increase the power of her spells as her fight against Discord continued. He easily blocked or deflected everything that she threw at him. However, she... She narrowly missed another attack, though it left her breathing heavily.

Discord teleported behind Luna and tail-whipped her barely recovered wing. He returned her blasts of magic as she nearly fell down in pain.

Luna winced and looked up at the oncoming blasts. "Ngh..." Just in time, she appeared another magic shield that barely repelled the attacks.

Discord smirked as he watched her. "Your magic just ain't good enough, dear Luna." He brought his tail down on the shield, shattering it again.

"Ahh!" Luna fell down on the ground. She looked up and gasped as Discord prepared to attack her again.

"Let's make something that'll hold you in place for a while..."

Celestia flew in front of her little sister. She shot a slightly stronger blast of energy at Discord just as her body stopped glowing with a light orange hue. "Leave her alone!" She crouched, ready to block Discord again. _Loyalty, the force that strengthens the soul and the spirit. Strength to recover, never to leave one's companions, in good or bad, in the moment of greatest need._ Now, a red glow surrounded her briefly. Her wings fluttered as Luna stood up behind her while she charged up another attack.

Luna took a deep breath, ignoring the pain of her wing. _Our magic IST strong enough, Discord. We wilt do whatever it takest to show thee!_ She frowned and stepped beside Celestia.

"Luna, are-"

"We art fine, sister. Thank thee." Luna turned to glance at Celestia and blinked when she noticed that her sister was glowing slightly.

"Alright, then, help me out here!" Celestia closed her eyes as she prepared to shoot the attack.

Luna nodded and shot magic of her own.

Discord opened his mouth and swallowed the attack. He burped it out in the form of a phoenix. "My, that was a bit tougher, I'll give you that much... Heh, heh." He aimed at Celestia and shot it. His eyes then glowed white as he prepared his next move.

Celestia and Luna shot another attack together. After Discord dodged that, Celestia flew behind him as Luna circled him. Both attacked together again.

_Another force..._ Luna blinked as she thought. _Kindness. Which repairs the soul, mends the heart, and drives away all impurity._ She gasped a little as her body glowed pink for a few seconds. She quickly looked at Celestia, and frowned slightly when her older sister nodded back at her. _Ist this part of that... spell that made her body glow? Just what exactly ist this?_

Discord teleported above them and unleashed his new spell. He trapped Luna inside an hourglass and stood next to it. He grinned as he watched the surprised reactions and expressions from the sisters. "Know what time it is, Celestia?" He flipped the hourglass upside down, making the sand start to slide down over Luna.

Luna grunted and raised her wing to her head, trying to cover herself from the sand. "Oh, no!" She scooted back, but found that she kept sinking into the small pile of sand.

"Discord, you better let her go!" She looked at the hourglass, then frowned as she made her horn glow.

Discord chuckled and looked back at Celestia with delight. "You have exactly five minutes to surrender yourself." He snapped his fingers and made Celestia lose her concentration, cancelling the magic that was about to emit from her horn. He patted the hourglass. "And Luna, dear, if I were you, I wouldn't bother trying to use magic against this. Your spells will only deflect back at you in there." He grinned maliciously as he awaited Celestia's reply.

Celestia took a deep breath, then glared at Discord. "How dare you do this... It is very low of you, Discord!" Her wings fluttered a bit as her anger rose, though it did not stop there. She shot a blast of pink and white energy at him.

The energy apart into three and flew at him from different sides.

He sighed and appeared a shield of yellow energy. He watched Celestia's attack disappear, then glared at her. "Really? Listen, Tia. If you don't want to lose your beloved little sister, I suggest you don't waste any more time and surrender to me!"

Luna grunted a bit as more sand slipped down upon her, making the heap beneath her inch higher. She hit her hooves against the glass, trying to break it as she slammed her weight against it. "Ngh! Sister, do not do it! Do not listen to him! Remember our duty, the promise we made to Master Starswirl!" She watched Celestia continuously attack Discord, and let out a sigh of relief. _Good... Do not give up no matter what..._

Celestia glared at Discord as she prepared another attack. She grunted with frustration as he easily dodged it, but she did not stop. She continued to fight him with as much power as she could summon. _You will not win so easily..._

Discord watched Celestia as her eyes glowed with gold light, while her body unleashed the aura of sun energy. "Hm. Alright, get interesting." He grunted with effort as he blocked Celestia's attacks. _Gotta admit, they're getting harder. There really is plenty to the princesses._ He smirked as he shot another magic blast at Celestia, pushing her back. He blew on his claw as she fell on the ground, almost exhausted. "Clock's ticking, Tia."

She groaned and pushed herself up, trying to summon that strong surge of power again. _It's no use... I used up too much energy..._ She glared up at Discord as he laughed at her.

Luna glared at Discord. "Do tell, Discord, what ist wrong with thee? Art thou not able to fight a fair battle?!" She kicked the side of the hourglass to no avail. "Release us, coward!"

"Ooh, quite an attitude for a princess." He smirked as he watched her.

"Release us and fight fair! Thou-"

"Oh, hah hah. _Fair?_" He laughed and shook his head. He looked up as he saw that Celestia was already preparing another spell against him. "Heh. No, I suppose that's really not my style, Luna."

He teleported behind Celestia and quickly lifted her up. "How about we go for a little stroll, Tia?"

Celestia glared at him. "What?! Let me go!" She tried to break free from his grasp, but he only laughed and teleported both away, out of sight.

Luna gasped once they disappeared. "No!" She looked around desperately, then quickly continued to hit the glass sides of her trap. "Sister! Sister, return! Give her back, Discord! Show thyself and fight properly!" She grunted as she was covered in sand for a brief second. "No... Sister... Whence hath he taken thee...?"

She growled and shook the sand off, though more kept falling. "Discord, thou better returneth our sister safely, or We shalt show thee the wrath of the Night!" She glared down from the glass wall of her prison, noticing that the hourglass was now set on top of a tall, thin-legged table. "That no good... We wilt get him back...!" She grumbled before she continued to hit the side of the hourglass.

* * *

More fighting between the princesses and Discord! Things seem to be going from bad to worse... Oh, dear. He really has done a 180, hasn't he. Attacking the princesses like that... And things won't end there... He didn't hesitate at all threatening Luna with a deadly spell.

(Sigh) Cheesy way of introducing the Elements of Harmony is cheesy... Overall, I felt this chapter was rather weak. Weak ending, weak... everything. I don't know. It's good, but I feel it needs something else to make it sturdier, or stronger. What do you guys think? (I'm getting tired of asking this)


	18. Manipulation & Deceit

**Manipulation and Deceit**

Discord and Celestia appeared inside a dark space of nothingness.

The ground was cold, bare rocks and stones, seemingly endless, yet limited to a small space. The atmosphere around them was dark, yet everything around her was perfectly visible. There was nothing to be seen, yet Celestia had a feeling that anything could emerge from the ground or thin air if a native of such a land wished so. If there were such a thing as inhabitants in that land. Which, obviously, there seemed to be, even though it seemed absolutely and frighteningly deserted.

The place defied the laws of logic in a way that made Celestia confused if she even tried to think about it. Everything about the empty, endless place confused her. Discord seemed completely at ease with the senseless place, however. He seemed right at home, if only a bit reluctant to be there.

He landed on the ground without minding the cold feeling of it. He gently set Celestia down on her hooves.

"What...?!" Celestia looked around at the place, alarmed by their sudden appearance in such an unknown location. They could be in another... dimension, for all she knew. "What is this place? Luna! Where's... Where's Luna?!" She turned to face him as he simply watched her. "Discord, where did you bring me?!" She shifted nervously in her hooves as she gave Discord an uneasy look.

Discord floated in the air before her. "Heh, heh. That's a pretty long explanation. I'll just narrow it down. You see... My memories showed me many things, Tia. And this place... This is amongst those things. It's where the Dark One created Chrysalis' kind, the changelings, then Sombra, as well as other dark creatures... Including me." He stood on his two feet. "This is my true home and birthplace, princess. The Dark Land, also known as the Dark Dimension."

He proudly looked around at the dark, empty splendor that was the Dark Land. The cold winds blew around them. All the way to the horizon, nothing but black rocks were seen. He sighed and smirked a bit, ready to continue his story. "We were created and raised here. He tortured and mistreated us for so long that the only thing we learned was hate and evil. When we were sent to the land of the 'ponies', we were stripped of all our memories of this place, as well as anything we may have felt, including the feeling of hatred in some cases, like mine. There was only one instinct that He made sure to keep deep within all of us. _Evil_ was that instinct, Tia." He looked back at her once he finished, giving her a serious look.

She did not flinch when he came close to her. She did not even let any sad or frightened expressions come upon her face as he looked at her mockingly. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, not showing any attention or interest for the empty land around them. "So this is where you came from... Good for you, Discord, that you were finally... _enlightened._"

She shook her head and looked up at him. "What did you bring me here for? Do you want me to die in here? To be corrupted like you? Discord, I'm not interested in serving evil and darkness. You should know that better than anyone. And I no longer wish to be anywhere near you or any of those enemies." She stepped back to prove her point.

Discord frowned as he watched her back away from him. "Is that so... You really..." He shook his head. "Hmph. Too bad. You seem uninterested. Well, you should be more excited, Tia. Another creature was made in this forsaken waste. Someone you'll find quite interesting, I do believe." He pointed behind Celestia. "Go on, take a peek."

From the sky, dark clouds gathered into a single unit and red glowing eyes shone from beyond.

Celestia gasped and stepped back at the sight of those cold, but fiery red eyes. "Wh-What is that? Who is that?!"

"That's the Dark Lord, Tia. But watch, look what He's about to do."

Two black-armored claws struck thunder from their palms. There was a flash of blinding light. After it vanished, the frightening eyes and the claws had disappeared. The clouds were gone as well.

A black mare laid on the ground, groaning with exhaustion. The light blue shining armor that she wore was too heavy for her to bear, making her buckle under the weight. Her eyes were moderate cyan, with catlike irises. Her mane was a flowing, brilliant blue that emitted a light violet aura.

Discord chuckled as he looked at the mare. He then turned to glance at Celestia. "Look familiar, Tia?"

She gasped as she stared at the tired mare. "That's..."

Discord smirked. "Heh, heh. I think you and I both know who that is, Tia."

"You... You're lying!" She shook her head and looked at the mare again. "There's no way...!"

"This is a recreation of MY memory. She is real, and she, too, was born here with us. I'd say she's the youngest of us all." He grinned as he watched the mare struggle in the dark space around her. She was trapped far away from them.

The mare stood up and, with an expression of loath on her face, unleashed magic out of frustration of her abandonment.

Celestia created a shield around herself that vanished the harmful energy from the mare's magic. She gasped when the dark mare disappeared so suddenly. She then took a deep breath to calm down. "Again... What do you want me here for, Discord?" Once she managed to calm down, she looked at Discord. "I'm not going to fall for your tricks or magic."

Discord did not say anything to her as he snapped his fingers and appeared them both in a ruined wasteland. Whether it was day or night, one could not tell.

He looked at her with a serious expression. "Celestia, do realize that my world will also prevent other pains, like tragedy, war, and famine. As your friend, I advise you to reconsider my proposal. It's for the best, y'know. War, and the trouble of an unchaotic world, can bring grave consequences."

Celestia watched him as he flew around her. "That is rich, coming from you. You just ruined our kingdom, no doubt damaging some of my subjects with your 'beloved chaos'. Yet you dare gloat about how _benefiting_ it will be to plunge the world into this unnatural disaster every time you fancy it? How... How shameless of you, Discord." She did her best to keep her voice from rising, as her temper would only encourage and amuse him further. The last thing Celestia wanted to be was part of Discord's amusement.

Discord shook his head. "You're too delicate for the consequences of your troublesome world. A world of competitiveness and want. Of so-called 'love' and 'harmony'. YOU'RE the one who lives in lies and wrong."

He waved his paw dismissively when she tried to protest. "C'mon, get real, Tia! There's no such thing as 'harmony' in your world! There's no such thing as _friendship,_and there is NO 'unity'! Everypony is always watching out for themselves, wanting more than the next pony possesses. They all want to hoard the 'love', 'friendship', and other goodies for themselves!"

He snickered as he showed her the shadowy shapes of six different ponies. They all argued and shut each other out as they drifted further and further away from one another.

Celestia frowned at Discord's puppets as they moved around her. "What..." She cringed as two of the shadow puppets started to argue right in front of her, while the others also bickered away around her. "Discord!"

"How accurate, aren't they? Look, I can prove it to you. They all lie..." Discord looked at Celestia to confront her before he glanced at each of the shadows. "They're all bitter. They're selfish to no end, cruel and traitorous by nature. They all end up giving up on one another to get themselves, and themselves only, to the top. All of you ponies are like that, Tia, don't deny it. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"But-"

Discord waved his claw. A little part of the city of Celestia's kingdom appeared in front of him. It was shaky from how lacking it was. It was deserted except for old, worn-down little houses and starving ponies. They looked longingly at stores and ponies that seemed happy, unlike they were. Other desperate ponies actually attacked each other as soon as they saw that others possessed the happiness they lacked. They clung to them and tried to rip happiness out of them. All of those ponies, except for the very few that they clung to, seemed truly unhappy, angry, and desperate.

"See, some here wish and long for things to gain, for emotions to feel, until their souls grow bitter and cold..."

He waved his lion paw and appeared another part of Celestia's kingdom. That place nearly tipped over from the heavy load that was suspended in the air along with it. Wealthy mansions surrounded it all, with great bundles of possessions, emotional and material alike, that the ponies took snobbish pride in hoarding all to themselves. A few of them seemed like they were suffocating under the weight of their hoarded possessions as they passed by those less fortunate ponies.

"...While others there drown and pride themselves in all those luxuries, looking like selfish dragons instead of ponies. They wallow in their arrogance, ignoring those that are truly wishful for those fleeting affections and privileges."

Celestia stared at the two different pony lands with a bit of fright. She quickly looked at Discord. "Just what in the world are you talking about?!" She stomped her hoof down impatiently as she vanished the puppets.

Discord's laughter interrupted her. He startled Celestia as he grabbed her front hooves and started doing a rather fast-paced dance with her. He chuckled and grinned at her. "I think you know what I'm saying here. You of all ponies should know well. Aren't you the ruler, after all? Those feelings that your land takes so much pride in are nothing but lies. There's no way anypony could ever feel that way if it wasn't for lies!"

Celestia shook her head. "Discord, you-" She gasped as Discord held her tightly from her back. "Oh, Discord! Stop it-ngh!" She tried to put some distance as he leaned down to whisper to her ear.

"I'll get rid of those lies, Tia. I'll do it for us. We'll live in a world where nothing ever matters anymore. Nothing except what we want. Cool, huh? Who'll tell us what to do when we're our own bosses? They all deserve what's coming to them, they've been nothing but fakers from the very beginning!" Discord stretched his claw out to roll Celestia away. He teleported behind her again and caught her.

Celestia stared at him with wide eyes as he tilted her down and quickly continued their crazy dance. "Discord, you have lost your mind!"

"Far from it, I've finally gained it!" He shook her a bit. "Don't you see?! Everypony's a liar. Everypony's after their own good. Actually, y'know... You and I are no different." He snapped his fingers and held her in the air despite her attempts to fly away. "We've become what this boring, maddening world has wanted us to be. That is the fate of anything that lives in this place, and in your stupid dimension. We'll rot away and hate until we destroy each other. Everything around us will go down in its own vice. That's its fate, because it makes _so_ much sense and it's _so_ orderly. That's what your order will bring. It'll tear us all apart!"

Celestia finally pulled away from him. "Ngh!" She could not help looking at him with a bit of disgust as he stepped back and turned away from her.

He bent down on the air, on his knees. "It'll tear us all apart and you can't see it... No, you're too dumb to see it! But order is wrong!"

Celestia frowned. "Don't say that! Our order and peace has done nothing wrong to you, you have no reason to attack us like this! You're the one who's wrong, YOU'RE the one who can't see that we're trying to-"

"SHUT UP! You're so annoying, shut up! You're a stupid, blind princess that can't see things the way they are if they hit her in the face, like they are now!" He growled a bit as he got agitated again while glaring at her.

Celestia could feel her voice breaking, but she did not care. "_You_ are an evil, self-centered draconequus that does not care about others enough to realize what they feel! To see that at one point, they would have loved to help and live in peace with-"

"You think I care about 'living in peace' with such lies?! Being any way other than who I am?! Don't be ridiculous, princess!" He turned away from her again, looking down into the bottomless hole that suddenly appeared beneath them.

Celestia screamed and tried to fly higher. "Discord! Did you do this?!"

Discord ignored her as he muttered to himself. "We'll all keep living in the shadows of this foolish world's dishonesty... We'll never have anypony that accepts us how we are, unless we do what they want... It'll all be broken with those fake emotions..."

He closed his eyes a bit as his frown revealed a hint of sadness. He continued to stare at the pit while he heard Celestia calling out to him. _And I will never have you... Oh, we will never be happy in this world of lies... Where injustice is okay, and imbalance is approved... Where everything, everywhere, makes sense..._

The draconequus raised his look, which was no longer shadowed by sadness, but alight with resentment and manic excitement instead.

Celestia cried out as he held her close to him again. "You're insane! Let me go!" She tried to push him away with her front hooves, but grunted as his grasp only tightened. "Let go, you're hurting me!" She could not flutter her wings in the slightest, she could not even push herself away at leg's length.

He touched her cheek softly and took on a solemn face. "You're not ready for what you are about to witness. You're not ready for the consequences of your world, Tia. Heed my words. I warn you as a friend, I have the best interest in mind for you."

Celestia opened her wings to fly away from him once he released her. She was beginning to be frightened by the volatile behavior that her former friend showed. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, even from him. But even so, she stood her... air, and spoke to him as calmly as she could ever manage. "...But we are no longer friends. You made that decision yourself not long ago, remember? According to you, all we wanted was for you to 'live a lie'. How can you give me advice as a friend if, as you say, it was all just a lie?" She closed her eyes and turned her head away. "I don't believe you or anything you might show me."

He narrowed his eyes annoyed by her answer. "That so..." He sighed and shook his head with feigned burden and disappointment. "Very well, Celestia. You were warned..." He smirked, then vanished in the gray fog that surrounded them.

From afar, the whimpers and cries of a pony were heard. _"Why...? Why...?!"_ Her yells echoed all around.

Celestia turned around as soon as she heard the new noises. "...Discord! Stop this! You already know I will not fall for it!" She knew yelling at him was useless, though. So she continued to walk, at the same time trying to collect her thoughts. It was a difficult task, though, since the whimpers of the pony continued, and she could not even find said pony.

_"I am sorry... They are all gone... My friends..."_

The fog began to clear, revealing a cloudy night, with thunder echoing in the distance. The land was deserted; it was the ruins of a battlefield, with chariots, spears, and helmets laid everywhere. A white mare stood beneath the moon's white light. She was crying and sniffling. Though the field was full of dim, green grass, the alicorn mare was surrounded by what appeared to be a circle of white sand.

Celestia tried to get closer to the mare. "Hello?" At the same time, she looked around for Discord, though of course sensed nothing. She did find the area quite familiar, though. "This land..."

The alicorn mare continued to cry as she looked up at the moon. _"I... I am so sorry... Luna..."_ Her tears fell on a small black tiara with a crescent moon drawn on it. _"Please forgive me...!"_

"What...? Wh-What is going on...? Where is Luna? ...Wait." Celestia stepped back as she tried to calm down again. "Get it together, Celestia. Luna... Luna is in our kingdom, trapped under Discord's magic. This is just his illusion. Do not fall for it." She took a deep breath and continued to walk forward. _I have to find him. Isn't there a way I can break this myself...?_

Just before she was about to cast a spell, Discord's voice chuckled around her. _"Oh, you're too cute. Trying to convince yourself this isn't real... Don't fool yourself, Tia."_His echo voice laughed briefly as she tried to locate him. _"Really, why trick you with illusions? Visions of what is to be are_ much_ more effective."_

Royal guards arrived from the castle. They gathered around the young version of Celestia as she continued to cry. _"Thy Highness, art thou alright? Where ist Nightmare Moon?"_

Celestia blinked with confusion when she heard the guard. "Nightmare Moon...?" She looked up at the moon, her heart sinking when she saw the new shape formed by the craters. The moon was now marked by the head of a dark mare.

She quickly turned away from the painful sight. "No, no, no! I refuse to see this. Even if it is the 'future', as you claim, I do not want to see it. Why should I believe you, Discord?! After all, can you not bend reality and whatever else you wish to create chaos?! This could easily be another of your tricks, all of it!"

Suddenly, she began to remember the good and fun times that the three spent together, the three of them. How distant it all seemed now. Things had changed so drastically, it seemed like their future would never again give them the chance to enjoy moments like those.

Discord had done things that were too serious to ignore, despite all the kindness that the princesses had shown him. Luna was the first to meet Discord. She was the first to provide entertainment for him, albeit unwillingly, and had later become like a little sister to him. Luna had trusted him unlike anypony else, and had become truly happy around him. Celestia had welcomed him to their kingdom with so much kindness and joy. She had accepted him without a doubt, and defended him when everypony else around her was against him. After all that the princesses had given him, Discord returned the favor by hurting Luna and Celestia, through traps and painful visions.

She then remembered when he invited her to go down his bizarre chocolate slide with him, when they had played with their magic together, and then the rest of odd, but amusing antics of his that followed. She couldn't help think of the awkward, but memorable dance they shared during his first ball. Now she understood why she had felt so uncomfortable back then. It actually had not been discomfort at all. It had been... Her thoughts drifted to what little she remembered about last night, after he had saved her life. Her feelings had definitely been far more special, and only at that moment, when she thought about it all, was she able to recognize them.

She took another deep breath as she thought to herself. She repeated in her mind the same words that her mentors, particularly Starswirl the Bearded, would say to her._...Keep it together, Celestia. You are a princess and a ruler. Do not let foolish emotions get the best of you!_

She frowned and glared up. She knew that Discord would listen as she spoke, from wherever he was hidden. "Sorry to disappoint you, Discord. Unfortunately for you, I will not fall for these sad premonitions of yours. Why do we not get back to the fight? Or, can you really not fight without trickery?" Her horn started to glow white as she used the emotions inside her for power. The sad scene around her began to flicker as she flew into the air.

"Oh, come now, Tia. You can't possibly be this foolish and selfish." Discord flew around her. "Like I said, why use illusions when I can show you the truth of what your future is? It's a kindness that was bestowed upon me, and I feel it's my duty to do others that big a favor. Face it, Tia; you'll betray Luna and send her away, as certainly as you'll most likely finish me. I wonder what you'll have after that, Celestia. An eternity of solitude?" He snickered. "Oh, that'll fit you nicely. The mighty immortal Celestia, without a single friend or sibling at her side. Has a ring to it, doesn't it?"

He stood in front of her as she tried to attack him again. "Listen... We had fun while it lasted, Tia, I'll give you that. But... I am who I am, and nopony can deny that. Not you, or even myself."

Celestia gritted her teeth with anger as she glared at him. "I am not being selfish! That is only what you want to make me believe. Discord, like Luna, I will always look out for the better of my kingdom. I will look after the ponies that depend on me to support and protect them. Do you know why?"

Discord rolled his eyes and mocked her as she spoke.

"Because I have that responsibility in my hooves and shoulders, and I embrace it. I take it upon myself to be their bringer of safety and peace. Much more than I can say for _you._"

Discord raised an eyebrow and gave her a bored look when she stared right into his eyes. "Hm...?"

"You, on the other hoof, have shown to be the complete opposite. All you have cared for is your own amusement. You only see this land as some place that will entertain and serve you while you're interested in it. You have no care for the creatures that live in this kingdom. You see them only as pieces for your twisted games. To you, everything and everypony are just playthings that you will manipulate and reform to your liking."

Discord clapped at her. "Bravo, Celestia, you summed everything up so well! That was perfect, I couldn't have said it better myself!"

Celestia flew away from him as she gave him a serious glare. "Chaos and disharmony are not the best for everypony. But you do not care about that at all. All you care about is yourself. _Your_ purpose. _Your_ power. _Your_ well-being. That is just sickening."

Discord grinned. "Oh, ho-ho, you're quite sharp on letting me hear it, huh, Tia?"

"You know I am right."

"Of course you are!" He turned upside-down, booping her nose. "And I'm not. But that's the fun of everything, isn't it? You, being 'right', orderly, BOORING... And me being wrong, crazy, and interesting!"

"Again, there goes your selfishness."

~~~

Luna knew she did not have much time left. She hardly had any room available in the hourglass, and found it difficult to breathe with all the sand that surrounded her._Almost... there...!_ She had been hitting the hourglass all that time, trying to tip it over and knock it down from the table. It had slowly inched closer to the edge, she was almost there.

With one last hard tackle, the hourglass finally fell down on the ground, shattering. She coughed and shook the sand off. She blinked as the broken glass and the scattered sand vanished. "Good thing We broke out before it disappeared..." She looked around and saw that neither Discord nor Celestia were back. "It ist no use... We cannot get to them without knowing where they art... Not even with our best teleportation spell."

She closed her eyes and started to pace around as she thought. _Sister, We hope thou art doing well... Please return soon, We cannot help thee where thou art..._

~~~

Discord laughed to mock Celestia further. "So you're not selfish at all, huh? You, who refused to fight me? You, who saw her kingdom fall apart and STILL would not harm me?" He held her face with his lion paw. "You, who said you loved me, yet will not accept me?"

He simply watched as she moved away from his touch. "Now, you're angry, and I know why, Tia. It's not because I hurt your feelings, your sister and your citizens. You're angry because... Because you think that after I'm gone, perhaps you will allow yourself to stop loving me. That scares, infuriates, relieves, and disappoints you, all at the same time."

Celestia gasped and glared at him. "How dare you...?!" She blasted him away. "Now you're shielding yourself behind _that_, too?!" She tried to calm down and keep her head cool. She could not be beaten by his manipulative tactics. She _would not_ be defeated by such dirty methods. Not right there. Not by him.

Discord stood up after the blast hit him. He shook his head and dusted himself. "Wow, you still pack quite a punch. But really, it felt like a filly shot that thing. Barely stung. But... Did it barely sting _you_? Oh-ho, that burn hurt, didn't it, Tia?"

Celestia held her head high as she spoke. "I do not know what you are talking about. Me? Mad over feelings for you? Hmph, you could not be more wrong."

He laughed as she prepared to attack again. He rolled his eyes and teleported next to her. "Tell me. If I'm so wrong..." He passed his paw gently beneath her eye to pick up a tear. "Why do you shed tears, my princess? From remorse, perhaps? Remorse at how much you wish that I had never come into your life? If only to spare yourself the agony of having to decide between what's the best for the kingdom and what YOU really want... Isn't it like that?"

"That choice is something I prepared myself to make, from the very moment I took oath to the kingdom. I will readily give up what I want or wish to ensure that you do not harm anypony else, Discord. That is something else that you do not know about: sacrifices."

"Your loss is no graver than mine, Celestia." He floated even closer to her. "You know... It's not easy, knowing that I must now battle the one pony who welcomed me into this world..." He held her face briefly before she pulled away. "And helped me become something else. Something that perhaps was not really the true me... But we both know we had found happiness in that." He looked down sadly as he spoke.

She looked at him doubtfully. "...Why not embrace that happiness, instead of chaos and harm? What was so wrong with the way you were before all this?"

"I know what my purpose is, Celestia... Perhaps..." He held her hoof. "Yours is to fight me. To not be happy at my side, just like I was not destined to be happy at yours. In the end, Tia..." He sighed and let go of her hoof, just as she was about to say something to him. "You will be the princess, and I will be the monster that must be defeated." He lowered his ears and looked away from her.

"But would you go so far as to harm us? I..." She shook her head and turned around. "Oh, forget it. It is ridiculous to ask you. Of course you would go that far."

She could not understand why she was beginning to feel weaker. The forces that she had found earlier were leaving her slowly. She took a deep breath again to concentrate. "If that is all that you will be, if this is what will happen, then I will accept it. There is no other choice." The tip of her horn began to glow. _Think, once again. From the beginning. Get back your strength... I cannot fail..._

"But there is, Celestia." _Yeah, there is, alright. You'll definitely be mine, I've decided it. I gave it all up for this._ "Let us be together. Just you and me, let's be happy at each other's side once again, once and for all. Weren't those memories of yours worth treasuring? We can revive them, and make so many more!" Discord took her hoof and smiled hopefully. "All I ask is that you be with me, Tia." He playfully brushed her body and mane with his tail.

"Discord, I... I cannot be with someone that will cause so much damage and will not stop. Look at what you have already done to my home and the subjects that I care about! Not to mention Luna... How can you care for me if you hurt me like that? It could... It could never work..." She muttered as she looked away from him.

Discord shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. Is that Starswirl I hear? Or the beautiful princess that I fell in love with?" He caressed Celestia's mane. "Your life _is_ important to me, you know that, Tia. Nopony else matters now."

She frowned and shook her head. "No, you're wrong. Everypony matters. I cannot simply ignore-"

He continued to speak through her statement. "Because, they don't love you the way I do, Tia. You know that. They didn't fall in love with you the way I did." He smiled as he cornered her against a rocky wall. He closed off her path with his eagle claw as he placed it right beside her.

"Y-You fell in love with, me...?" She looked up at him, quite surprised. She had thought that only she had developed those feelings, that he was far too gone to feel anything like that, and for her, for that matter. Perhaps there _was_ a chance that he... _No. He is only saying this to distract me. I cannot trust him! But... Something is up, why is it so difficult to get away?_ She frowned a bit as she tried to listen to that fading voice of reason. "Listen. I-I..."

~~~

Luna cried out a bit as the spell that she had tried to cast backfired at her again. "Ow! Luna... Thou must try again!" She took a deep breath. "From the top, review from the beginning. These special forces, We must learn to use them. Honesty. Loyalty. Kindness! That ist what we have discovered..."

She concentrated her magic aura around her horn. "Get it correctly... Honesty! Loyalty! Kindness!" She groaned when the magic faded and she fell on her knees. "It ist not enough power...!"

She then remembered how strong she had felt during the time that she, her sister, and their draconequus friend spent together. During that time, she was not bothered by nightmares at all. She was free to be herself, and for once enjoy herself and her surroundings. "Fun... That which nurturest good feelings and cheers in order to move on..." She let out a breath and raised her head again. "Laughter!"

After much concentration, Luna was shocked and glad to see that her magic was growing much stronger. She easily vanished all traces of Discord's magic that had remained in the area, and even changed a lot if the affected surroundings the way they were prior to the effects of Discord's chaotic power. "Dear... What ist this power?!" She did not stop to marvel at her newfound power for long. She concentrated again and did a few more exercises to try to master the new source of energy.

~~~

Discord interrupted Celestia as she searched for her resolve to speak. He picked up her face in his lion paw. "Let's just be together, Celestia. No more wars, no more fighting, nopony but you and me. Let yourself be happy! Quit fighting and do what you really want. Quit denyin' what you really feel. It's already out there, why hide it? Let's take the opportunity now." He knelt down to Celestia's eye-level and kissed her hoof.

She stared at him, nearly breathless from the shock. "D-Discord. You... You are..." She knew she had to fight him, but... Honestly, how did one fight someone they loved? And he'd said he loved her, too. "You're right... If... If you feel this way for me, too..." She looked up at him and smiled hopefully.

He caressed her face. When she blushed slightly at his touch, he chuckled a bit as and nuzzled his face against hers. "Of course I do. I want what you want. Nothing else. Will you be with me?" He gently stroked Celestia's mane behind her head, with a tender smile on his face. His eyes didn't leave hers as they started to glow, very slightly at first, slowly gaining intensity.

Celestia blinked as the two remained still, close to each other for a while. She vaguely noticed something odd about his eyes. "Wh-What...? Wait, Discord..."

"Feeling a bit weird, Tia?" His crazed, red eyes looked straight into her confused, absent violet ones. "Perhaps those butterflies in your stomach are gettin' to you. You can see it, right? What I _really_ feel?" He laughed as his hypnotizing spell took effect._Go on, my princess, give in to my change of heart. It's all a matter of time... I've got you now, Celestia. I've got you!_

Her eyes soon reflected the shifting rings of colors in Discord's, and her mind went blank. Her frown softened into a relaxed expression.

_"Will you stay with me?"_ Discord's voice called into her mind.

She smiled a little and swayed a bit as she mumbled an answer. "Yes... I-I will... stay..." She was barely able to speak that simple, broken sentence.

_"Lower your guard, then. Otherwise, we'll never be together. C'mon, it's alright. I won't do anything. This is what true happiness feels like, Tia. It's liberating. Let me show you how great everything will be from this day on, now that we've finally accepted ourselves how we really are. You as a nice, pretty princess..."_

"W-Wa... Wait, Dis..."

He held her chin as he leaned closer to her. "...That obediently stays by her king's side. By the side of the Master of Chaos. That's lovely, isn't it?"

"So... dizzy..."

"That's because you're not listening to me, Tia. I'm trying to help you break from this spell."

"S-Spell...? What..." She frowned slightly with confusion as she tried to think about what he said, but it was no use. Everything in her mind was blank, and what little reason she had left was already beginning to blur. He could tell her she was a rock instead of a pony princess and she probably would believe it.

"Can't you see it? I've been trying to tell you. You've been under a spell all along. I'm finally getting through to you. Let me save you, princess. Look at me a bit longer, just a bit more, I'm almost done with this spell."

She felt completely relaxed as he coaxed her deeper into his illusion. All other thoughts left her mind, except for the image of Discord and her finally together and happy. It was as though her mind had been reformed, for she no longer remembered anything else. Her wings lost the will to fly, though she obviously did not notice that she was falling.

Discord held her gently before she fell to the ground, not breaking eye contact with her for more than a few seconds. "There, you're free. Now tell me with all honesty... Do you love me?" The colors of his eyes picked up speed.

Celestia nodded. Her eyes started to close slowly from the weight and power of the spell.

He disappeared the hypnotic rings from his eyes so that she wouldn't fall into a hypnotic sleep, but would still remain under his trance. He patted her back as he held her. "Very good, that's it. Do you love me enough to obey every command of mine, Tia?" He looked at her with a malicious grin and gripped her a bit tighter as his anticipation began to get the best of him.

His words came vaguely to her, she could not recognize them or think them through. But she liked the sound of his voice alone. She nodded slowly. "Yes... I... I do..."

Discord laughed triumphantly. He spun around in the air, nearly dropping Celestia while doing so. "Yes! I did it! I got the brave, dutiful, sweet Sun Princess wrapped around my fingers. How's that, Tia? The mighty, powerful ruler of the kingdom, turned into a little rag doll of mine! You should be ashamed of yourself!" He played around with Celestia, watching her as he wrapped his body around her and moved her like a toy. "Much better than puppy guards."

He made her stumble around while she remained blankly content about her situation. He snickered. "Oh, that was SO worth the wait!" He bounced her in his tail. "It would've been way too boring to just force the spell down on you in seconds. Playing around with you was much too entertaining. Don't you think so, you little fool?" He glared down at her with a smirk as he held her upside-down with his tail.

"Yes..." Celestia's voice was now a soft monotone. Her eyes were still open, with the swirls of colors that kept her enchanted, unable to see anything other than the happy illusion he had put her under. "Discord... King... of Chaos..."

"Well said! Good girl, Tia! Finally things are how they always should have been. I told you we'd be together. Now don't strain yourself, no need to talk anymore." He patted and ruffled her mane. Then he danced around with her. He tossed her up in the air and caught her under his eagle claw. "Alright, take a nap, my little princess doll." He snapped his fingers and held her under his arm as she drifted off to sleep. "Don't worry, Tia, there'll be plenty for you to do to show me your love. Let's go celebrate! That kingdom is as good as MINE!" He laughed as thunder cracked through the deserted land. It enveloped both in a blinding flash of light. Once the light faded, they were gone.

* * *

Phew! Another ten-pager! Thank you so very much for taking the time to read through all of this, I love you lots! And bless those of you that actually care enough to give me feedback, every artists needs and craves it. I will be quite grateful to you caring souls.

...Discord, I love and hate you both. You gotta be the coolest character I've ever seen. I also really enjoyed improvising this scene of mind-control. Loved how Discord toyed around with Celestia, manipulated her expertly, until he finally got what he wanted and turned her into his puppet. All of this manipulating masterpiece from a kid that wouldn't be older than around fifteen.

Celestia would be just a few years younger than he is (like twelve, thirteen), while Luna would be a little filly of around, um, nine (suddenly felt like comparing the immortal creatures' ages to our human measurements XD). For the young creature he is, he's got skills!

The part that looks as though he's losing it while analyzing the pony world, I kind of got it from Sweeney Todd's 'Epiphany'. Such a lovely song. 'We all deserve to die... Even you, dear Celestia, even I...'

Hm. Discord did all this to gain control and make the world chaotic, yes, but in a way, it was also to keep Celestia (...and Luna, too) at his side. In a fleeting, quickly-lost-to-insanity kind of way. I improvised the whole 'I'll keep you when I get rid of the lies' concept, and I really liked it, even if it's quickly overshadowed by the sudden rush of evil flowing through Discord.

Meanwhile Luna's busy discovering the Elements of Harmony.

I think this chapter was among the best, or one of my personal favorites, along with chapter 11, and some others. Again, thank you for reading and all other feedback!


	19. Orchestrated Entertainment

**Orchestrated Entertainment**

Still laughing, Discord teleported himself and his hypnotized Celestia back to the spot where they had left Luna. He smirked as he looked down at her. "Hello again, Luna."

Luna vanished the traces of her strengthened magic. She glared at Discord and stood on guard. "About time thou got back!" She looked at Celestia and smiled. "Sister, We wereth worried!" She gasped when she saw that Celestia was still limp under Discord's arm. "Sister! What ist wrong?! Wake up, sister!"

Discord snickered when he saw that his new toy did not even stir from her slumber. She could not process anything that was not his voice. _How obedient you are, my foolish princess. Time for you to prove yourself._ He smiled and gently nudged Celestia. "Alright, Tia... Wake up, my pet. You've slept long enough."

Luna glared at them. "P-Pet?!"

Celestia groaned almost inaudibly and slowly opened her eyes. They still had the colored spirals in them, but she looked up at him with a small smile. "Yes, Discord...? Nnh..." She lowered her head a bit as she held it with her hoof.

"Ohh... Still tired, Tia?" He held her face as she nodded slowly.

"Sister! What-Why art thou with Discord?! Thou-"

Celestia glanced at Luna. She frowned only slightly. "But... I thought we'd... finally be alone... Why... is she here...?"

He approached Celestia's ear as her eyes began to close from fatigue. He smiled gently as he nudged her. "Remove her, Tia," He whispered to her a soft voice. "She wants to separate us."

"R-Remove... her...?"

"What?! No!" Luna stepped closer as Discord put Celestia on the ground. "That ist not true! What art thou talking about, Discord?! Sister, come to thy senses, he ist speaking madness!"

"Oh, my poor, sweet princess. Look how exhausted you are!" He held her softly as he glared at Luna. "That pony's so boring, she can make anyone tired, isn't she? Don't worry, my dear, you can go ahead and have your rest now." He touched Celestia's head and made her eyes glow with the different colors in them. "Go to that happy place we talked about earlier and rest there, okay? All you have to do now is listen to me, like a good girl."

He watched her as his hypnosis took full effect again. "There we go, all better!" He caressed the mane of the currently mindless young mare. "Now, as I was saying... About that pony there..." He pointed his claw at the confused Luna. "She's naught but somepony that wants to come in our way. Don't let her, Celestia, dear."

"Yes... Discord..." Celestia mumbled. Her body moved as though she was an empty puppet.

Luna's eyes widened as she watched Celestia. _What ist going on... What nonsense ist he up to now?!_

Discord nudged Celestia forward and grinned at Luna once he got out of the way. "Heh, heh..."

Luna stepped forward. As she glared at Discord, she also got ready to attack. "What didst thou do to her?!" She quickly dodged a blast of magic from Celestia. "Sister! What art thou doing?!" She stared at Celestia in shock as her older sister prepared another attack. "Sister! Answereth us! What ist the meaning of this?!"

Discord snapped his fingers. He appeared a throne beneath him as he watched the mares fight. "Oh, front seats. My favorite." He tapped his fingers together. "Oho, this idea's much better than I thought..."

Luna flew away from Celestia every time she tried to attack. She was afraid that her magic would be way too strong, since she had been practicing, and would seriously hurt her sister. She appeared a shield to block Celestia's spell.

But that did not stop Celestia. She powered up again and flew after Luna to attack her directly.

"Sister, stop!" Luna flew right past her and pushed her away to deflect her blast. She gasped as Celestia quickly recovered. "Sister, listen to us!"

Discord laughed as Luna was blasted away by Celestia's magic. "She's ignoring you, can't you figure that out?!" He briefly appeared Celestia in the air beside him and caressed her face as she laid in the air, limp like a ragdoll. "She's grown tired of you, Luna, and is now doing what she pleases. Your words won't get through to her. None of 'em. She'll only listen to me now. Won't you, dearie?" He chuckled as he moved Celestia's head to make her nod. "She's too overjoyed to speak, but let that be her answer for you."

"Sister! Do not let him get away with this! Thou must showeth him what thou-"

"Oh, shush, will you? You're so annoying, Luna." He snapped his fingers and appeared Celestia back by Luna's side. He let her attack her younger sister again.

Luna sped up to get away from Celestia. She appeared a bank of dense black fog the color of the night and surrounded the Sun Princess in it. Then she growled a bit and appeared in front of Discord. "What. Didst. Thou. Do. WITH OUR SISTER?!" She pushed him and the throne away with the force of her magic. **"ANSWERETH US!"**

Discord faked incredulousness, with a frown on his face. "You're accusing _me_? Oh, how could you, Luna? And here I thought you would be happy."

"Happy?!"

"Sure!" He snapped his fingers and had Celestia blast a beam of light around herself. The spell vanished the fog. He then waved his claw and Celestia obediently flew over to him. "Why let her be fooled by the spell of order and bossy 'harmony' once again? She's free and lovely like this, don't you think so?"

Luna glared at him and tried to attack him again, only to be pushed away by Celestia. "Ungh, Celestia!"

"Of course you don't." He sighed and held his head on his paw as Celestia continued to threaten the Night Princess. "Really, Luna, you should be happy too. Your sister finally opened her heart and mind to what she _really_ desires. Me!"

He snapped his fingers again, laughing as Celestia obeyed his commands and attacked Luna continuously. "She's perfectly happy and content the way she is. Think about it! Why would she remain like this if she wasn't happy? Free to be with me, the one she cannot live without."

Luna cried out in pain, but stood her ground. "Thee?! But..." She turned to Celestia and quickly deflected another attack. "What dost thou mean...?! Explain thyself, Discord!" _How on earth ist this happening?! There ist something strange to her. This makest no sense. What he said..._ She lowered her head. "She dost not want thee. Not like this. We know that!"

"Oh, really? Celestia..."

Celestia immediately stopped to listen to him.

He smirked as he held her hoof up and playfully swayed her body a bit as he spoke to her. "Dearie, please break that pony's wings. I don't like them."

"Of course... Discord..."

Discord laughed as Celestia flew swiftly behind Luna and aimed at her.

Luna flew up to dodge Celestia. "No! Sister, do not do this!" She pushed Celestia against the ground, then glared at Discord. "She wouldst not do something like this. Thou art doing something to her, she wouldst never feel anything for the likes of thee!"

She suddenly remembered the guards that Discord had turned into mindless puppets to play with. He had made them do silly things, even behave like dogs for quite a while. The poor guards were not conscious at all during that whole time. They were never aware of what they had done, they never even remembered anything.

"Hypnosis... Of course, hypnosis! Discord! How darest thou?! Thou hath hypnotized our sister!" She glared at Discord with pure anger now.

Discord looked away with annoyance as he snapped his fingers. "Hmph. I prefer the term 'brainwash', thank you very much."

_"You're a bloody idiot, you know that?"_ Spoke a dark voice inside Luna's head. She hissed with disgust as Luna continued to receive Celestia's attacks.

Luna recognized the voice immediately. However, she ignored it. "Sister, please, snap out of it! It ist not real! Thou art here! Thou art fighting us! Thou must stop! Resist the spell, sister! Thou can do it! Thou art here with us, we must stop Discord!" She urged as she held her sister's shoulders. She gritted her teeth as she watched Celestia disappear under Discord's arm again. Her eyes teared up as she glared at him again. "Stop it... Leave her alone! Do not treat her like a toy!"

"Oh, but she _is_ my toy. My favorite one, too." He held Celestia upside-down from her hind hoof as he poked her a bit. He then appeared her in his claw and paw, in front of him, and lifted her up. "Isn't she adorable? I'm going to have _so_ much fun playing with her when this is over." He nuzzled his cheek against her face. "She'll give me much entertainment for days on end! She'll love it, too. It'll be just what she wanted all along."

Luna shook her head. "No. That ist not our sister! Thou hast put her under a spell! Celestia would never become thy plaything. Not thine, or anypony else's!" She whimpered and looked up at Celestia. "Big sister... Please fight him! Snap out of it and fight by our side! It ist our duty. That ist why we art here!"

Discord patted Celestia's mane. "No, you're wrong, Luna. She's not here, nor is she fighting anypony. Like I said earlier to her, I simply am doing this world a kindness, and she was the first one I graced with my favor. I couldn't think of anypony else to be this kind to. It just HAD to be her. I owe her so much, after all. This gift had to be hers." He ruffled Celestia's mane, nearly knocking her crown off.

"What?!"

He smirked, brushing his lion paw under Celestia's chin. "Your sister is living the dream at the moment. She is back in the main city, with everything nice and rosy, just the way she likes it. Only the other half of her world has finally joined her. Me. She no longer has to decide between the world or my chaos. In her mind, _I'm_ her world. And our surroundings ARE chaos. It looks so nice and beautiful in her eyes, the sweet, merciful vision! Especially with me around. Everything is perfect. No disturbances. No fights. Only she, chaos, and me. No problems."

He grinned at Luna. "Especially not you or her bothersome advisors. That's why she won't hear a word you say. Heh, she barely hears what _I_ say. At the moment, it's as though she was asleep. In a sweet, little dream that her conscious mind was trapped under. Her awareness is gone, and we're left with that mindless, empty shell that is not really conscious of anything she does or says. A pretty puppet that does and says whatever I want." He touched Celestia again.

The color rings in her eyes picked up speed for a second before she blinked and nodded. She spoke in a monotone again. "Whenever he wants... I am his obedient princess now..."

"No, thou art not! Get thy mind back in the right place! Do not be so weak, Celestia!"

Celestia gave her an empty smile as she approached Luna. Discord had to move her with his levitating magic, as she had no control of her body whatsoever. "I _am_ weak, Luna... It was so easy... So easy for Discord to get to me... I guess I don't deserve to be... a princess... after all..."

"Oh, what are you saying, Tia? Of course you deserve to be a princess! MY princess. Princess Celestia of the Chaos World." He sighed as Celestia started to slip under the heavy load of his hypnosis spell. "Really, Tia? Come now, don't be such a wimp. Show me something a bit more fun. You'll rest later" He smirked as Celestia opened her eyes again and flew in front of him to face Luna. "See, Luna? Was that enough proof for you? She's too lost in her own little world... Just like everypony will be, once we're done with you."

Luna shut her eyes closed and growled. "Discord... How couldst thou do this... To manipulate our sister's emotions like that... So low... Hath thou no shame?! That ist beyond cowardly!"

"Have I no shame? Hmm... Nope, don't think so!" He smiled and looked at Celestia. "Celestia, that sun beam attack of yours? Let's see how well the Night Princess can stand it." As Celestia prepared her attack, he touched her with his eagle claw and channeled his energy into her body to make her attack stronger. He ignored the strain that he was putting on the balance of her powers and her mind.

_"Stop stalling, you fool! Release me so I can help you fight them! If you go, then I go too!"_ Nightmare Moon's voice spoke desperately inside Luna's head.

_If We do that, We wilt hurt our sister. She ist not herself, We wilt not injure her for Discord's amusement. We have a better plan... We have been getting ready for something like this. Our power has grown stronger..._ Luna concentrated as she thought. In a few minutes, her body started to glow with her cobalt blue magic.

Celestia lowered her head and shot the blast of energy at Luna. It created blinding light for a couple of seconds. Nothing else happened for a while as Luna's aura and her attack clashed.

* * *

Phew! Man, this is gonna be good. I really enjoyed having Discord toy around with Celestia. It's a... funny concept. But that made Luna get down to business! Show 'im, Luna! Nopony and nobody messes with the Canterlot Princesses. Some struggle they're having to go through, though.

For some reason, 'Never Meant To Belong' or 'Will of the Heart', both from Bleach, kept playing in my head as I edited this chapter.


	20. The Elements' Decision

**The Elements' Decision**

A tremendous burst of light had erupted from the collision of the powers of the young little Princess of the Night and the hypnotized Sun Princess' ultimate attack.

Discord grinned as he watched the 'show' the attack of his manipulated Celestia created. "Wow, that was almost as good as my fireworks, Tia! Loved it!" He clapped his claw and paw together.

The sun energy blast was boosted, of course, with his own magic, and he did not care that it strained both Celestia and the spell that her mind was under. He rejoiced as he watched the otherwise kind, caring and fair Sun Princess shoot the attack at her own beloved little sister. "Yes... End her!" He laughed once the attack hit its mark.

Celestia groaned and staggered before falling on the ground. She ended up damaged from exhaustion that she was not yet completely aware of. She groaned a bit more, the fatigue and effort from the strain managed to break the spell on her just a slight bit.

"Ngh... Wh-What... Discord...?" She muttered, very confused. The illusion in her hazy mind began to blur, and she gradually caught glimpses of reality. She pushed herself up, but stumbled. "D-Discord..." She could not get very far, for she fell back on the ground. It was all she could do to keep herself awake while she tried to grasp everything that was going on with all speed around her.

Not noticing Celestia's change at all, Discord looked around the desolated battle ground, searching for Luna. He had gotten carried away with his anticipation and chaotic anxiety. He wanted to gain the ultimate upper claw on the stubborn Princess of the Moon once and for all.

To watch her fall would be the most delightful part of the battle, even more so than Celestia's defeat. Because, unlike Celestia, Luna would would not be manipulated by any spell. She was still so young and simple. All she saw in him was a best friend, a brother figure. He could not work with that, it was not strong enough. He would not be able to amusingly drag her under his control with foolish, suppressed emotions. If he could not mess around with her little mind and heart, what was the fun of a hypnotizing spell in the first place?

He snickered and shook his head as he continued search, though he knew there were not many places for the young Night Princess to hide.

No, he would not keep the youngest princess around as a toy. He would do something much more exciting to her. He would have to _end_ Luna, and the idea truly delighted him. He had always found joy in bringing harm to the little filly. He had denied it before, but all those times that he had subjected her to ticklish and teasing torture, he had really rejoiced in her struggles and objections, not in her laughter. He had broken through yet another fake memory that he had developed during his stay in the princesses kingdom! Oh, how genuinely delightful it felt!

"Oh, Luna, are we playing hide and seek?" He grinned wickedly and summoned fire and ice from his claw and paw, ready to use them against her the moment she appeared. "I love that game..."

After the light died down, Luna appeared in front of him. Her eyes glowed light blue, and her body let out magic aura, which was much stronger than before.

"Hm... Wow, Luna. You've been practicing, huh?" Discord chuckled.

She ignored him as she made her magic aura swirl around her body. Once her spell picked up speed, she unleashed it around them in a bright blast of blue light.

Discord was blinded by the blue light. He had to step back and cover his eyes with his paw as he growled lowly. He summoned green shades and placed them over his eyes as he watched Luna.

He chuckled again. "And so enters the mighty knight in shining armor." He looked over at the stunned Celestia. "Ready to save her princess in distress. How heroic."

Celestia fell on the ground again, still very dizzy and confused. What is happening... What... Where am I? Who are they...? She blinked when she saw the blurry shape of Luna. "L-Lun... Luna...?" She whispered as she vaguely started to remember. "Ngh..." _Think... Think... Just calm down and think..._

Discord put his claw and paw together as he laughed. He shot the blast of fire and ice right at Luna. "Gotcha!"

Luna held her head high as the combined fire and ice approached her. She remained silent as she blocked the attack. Her magic aura rippled through her as the attack vanished. 'Luna' turned out to be a mirage; she had expertly cast an illusion that absorbed the power of Discord's attack.

"Deception! Ooohhh!" Discord raged in frustration. He glared up, his crazed, angry red eyes covered by his white bangs. "Luna, you dirty little trickster! That's MY game! It's MY move!" He searched around for her again. He gritted his teeth and growled as his magic aura sparked around and from his body.

Luna's voice sounded cold as she spoke. _"Well. Nothing wrong with taking after a master, ist there."_ She had allowed some of Nightmare Moon's powers to seep through to her, after all. _"How dost it feel to have things turned against thee?"_

She cast a spell towards Discord, but the source of it turned out to be just another illusion, while the damage of the attack remained real. _"Thou underestimated us, Discord. That shalt be thy fall. Thou did not know the full extent of our power. Thou should have done more studying. We believed thou were well-versed in thy chaotic magic. However... After a while, it can become quite predictable."_

"Why, you...!" Discord summoned a storm, surrounding the mountains and the whole area where they stood. He pulled a long, sharp diamond stake out from his throat and threw it at the clouds above them.

He became intangible to protect himself from the cutting rain, then glared at Luna. "Oh, I've been studying, alright. I learned that unlike my magic, YOURS has limits! Let's see your shields resist THIS!" He laughed as razor-sharp diamond fragments rained down.

A different voice spoke as the fragments were deflected. "You are wrong. Chaos is not the only unrestricted power in this world." Discord received another hit, from light magic this time. Celestia was back to normal, looking quite upset to say the least. Like Luna, she too was glowing as she walked forward to confront Discord. "And that power is the magic of Harmony!"

Discord gasped and stared at Celestia with surprise. "Ce-Celestia. How... How did you...?!"

Celestia stopped. Her glare on him was as intense as ever. "How did I escape? That is easy to answer. Remember I told you that you cared about nopony? Not even me? Well, that truth soon backfired at you, didn't it, Discord? You put so much strain on me with your spells that it all eventually snapped me back to my senses. It was your carelessness and rashness that allowed me to break through."

Discord frowned. "Ah, I should've known that you-ungh!" He grunted as Celestia unleashed a light beam at him. It actually hurt him a bit as her body glowed from the strong magic. He looked at her, rubbing his face. "Celestia! But I didn't-"

"Silence, Discord!" She stepped forward as her horn glowed again and threatened to shoot another attack. "I knew you were ruthless, but this... Manipulating me like that..."

Discord gave her a look. "Tia, it wasn't as much manipulation as it was-" He dodged another blast of her magic and quickly countered. "Knock it off!"

"I do not want to hear anything you have to say, Discord! How dare you..." Celestia's voice was full of anger as she narrowed her eyes at him. They did not have a single tear in them this time. "How dare you?!"

Discord floated closer to her. "Celestia, I only wanted-" He stopped in his tracks when Celestia's next spell nearly missed him. "Hey!"

"How dare you you put me under a spell like that?! And... And make me attack my own sister, no less..." She lowered her head, her mane covered her eyes in a shadow. "Discord... Your cowardice really knows no limits. You are truly lost to us..." White energy sparkled from her body as she spoke.

"What are you talking about?! Don't you get it, you fool?! This was all... It was..." He growled as he tried to stammer the words out. His growing anger wouldn't let him. He glared at her this time. "It was all so that we could live just the way we wanted in a chaotic world! With nopony to boss us around and reject us! If you had just accepted chaos, if you hadn't been so foolish and-and stayed hypnotized like you were supposed to... Ohh, we would've remained friends! Argh, everything would've been just right, why'd you have to ruin it, Tia?! For a silly little filly that doesn't even like you?! She's worth it?!"

"Sister, what ist he talking about?" Luna looked at Celestia. She blinked with surprise as she saw that Celestia remained serious and cold, even with his incomplete confession.

"...Indeed... I was so, so foolish, Discord... I am ashamed of myself for being so..."

Discord blinked and stared at her.

Celestia closed her eyes. "I was foolish enough to believe... That some part of the friend that I cherished perhaps was still in there. Perhaps, if I lowered my guard, I could save him. My naivety cost me my mind, my power. It enslaved me to you. It nearly cost me my sister, who would have been injured by my own hoof and magic. It was not for long, but... I will never forgive the consequences of my mistakes. However..."

She looked up, her violet eyes fiery with determination. "I will not make that mistake again. Say what you will, Discord... You will not manipulate me, ever again! You are just a stranger to me. An enemy. A bitter enemy that I have to defeat. The one I loved was Wilder, and he is now gone. All you are is Discord, Master of Chaos and Disharmony, natural enemy to Harmony and my kingdom."

Discord gasped as he stared at Celestia's fiery, but otherwise unfeeling eyes. Had she really just said that? _You're... You're wrong, Celestia... I... Unfortunately, I'm the same... I'm that facade that you called 'Wilder', all I did... All I did was finally be true to you..._ He growled and clenched his fists. _**You**__ were supposed to accept that. I thought __**you**__ were the one who accepted and liked me the way I was. Wasn't it __**you**__ who always told me to be myself?! This __**IS**__ me! And now... Now you..._

Celestia looked at him as he started to shake from anger.

_**You're**__ the liar, Celestia... Claiming you loved me... That was just... It was my stupid spell that did the talking back in the Dark Land... Of course you'd never love me... A snobby, perfect, spoiled princess like you would __**NEVER**__ feel anything for a monster like me... A stranger, am I...? __**SO BE IT!**_ His eyes glowed red as lightning covered the area, and the sharp shards fell even faster.

He grinned and chuckled, then looked up at the hundreds of razor-sharp diamond projectiles. "Those shards will look lovely with your jewels, Tia. And you know what? You'll look lovely, too... As a dessicated show cow in my new throne room!"

Celestia smiled at Luna as her little sister lowered her head and shared some of her power.

"It ist not much, sister, so please maketh good use of it."

"It will be enough." Celestia looked at Discord as she walked on the diamond-covered ground. "I have finally figured out a way for us to defeat you, Discord."

"Oh, really? Okay, then, Tia. Be my guest. Defeat me with... Oh, that's right. With what power? Is it the sun?" He snapped his fingers and made the sun shine brighter, then fade. "The moon?" He smiled as the moon suddenly rose in the sky, but then plummeted to the ground with a crashing sound. He gave the princesses an uninterested look as the sun returned. "That magic is all but overdone, girls. I practically know it by memory! I could eat those little sunlight beams of yours for breakfast, Tia. Oh, wait, wait, I did! It tasted so bad, I burped it back at you!" He laughed.

Celestia watched him, then spoke patiently. "It is neither my magic nor Luna's. It is a force of magic more powerful than ours put together. It is perhaps even stronger than yours. It is the magic of six elements. Elements of friendship and positive assets that bring end to all threat." She closed her eyes and cast a spell that protected them from the diamond shards.

Luna stepped forward and cast her magic to strengthen Celestia's protective spell. She looked straight at Discord as she spoke. "The Elements of Harmony!"

Discord clapped his claws together and vanished all his magic creations. He dusted his shoulders and stood before the princesses, then cleared his throat and fixed his mane. The stubborn tuft remained where it always laid, between his eyes. He stood in a mocking elegant pose on his two feet.

"Very well, let's put tricks aside. Truth has been revealed at last. Friendships, fake as they ever were, are now dead. 'Tis only your Elements of Harmony, against my Element of Chaos. No more remorse, hesitation, or forgiveness. There is now only WAR!" His eyes glowed red again. He started to fly with his wings. "Let's finish this once and for all, princesses!"

Celestia closed her eyes, and concentrated. "Generosity, the act that restores lost hope and determination." She and Luna began to glow from the power of the other four elements. "And finally... Magic! The strongest power of all!" She and Luna rose in the air, surrounded by a very strong aura of power that combined and fused with their own.

Discord roared like a wild animal. A cloud of black smoke surrounded him as he summoned as much of his chaotic magic as possible. The energy took the form of a ring around him. He floated in the air as electricity sparked in his claws. He was ready, his element summoned at its fullest.

A blast of multi-colored energy was shot from the sisters, aimed straight at Discord. He countered with a blast of yellow magic that clashed with their multi-colored shot.

He grinned as he pushed the spell further with all of his strength. "CHAOS, IS INEVITABLE!"

Luna closed her eyes as Celestia concentrated further. Their spell gradually pushed Discord's magic back.

Celestia's voice sounded powerful as she spoke to him while directing her attack. It even had a bit of an echo. "It is over, Discord." Their blast shone brighter and banished all traces of the chaotic magic. Together, she and Luna finally directed their magic right at him.

Discord screamed and grunted in pain as the beam of light hit him. Soon the blinding light of the spell died down, and he crawled on the ground, exhausted. His eyes shut closed as he laid there, groaning and panting. "No... It... It can't be...!" He gritted his teeth as he looked at his body. He saw that it started to become heavy and difficult to control. "What..." He was surrounded by a white light as his body slowly began to turn into stone. "Hey, w-wait! No, this... This can't... be happening!" He grunted desperately as he clawed at the ground, trying to reclaim the mobility that his limbs were losing.

Celestia walked over to him as he struggled. She closed her eyes a bit as she watched him slowly resign to his fate. The expression on her face was serious and unreadable as she looked down upon her fallen enemy, her former friend.

"Ugh, wha..." Discord laughed weakly as he used his front claw and paw to push himself up, once his hoof and lizard claw turned to stone. He looked at Celestia, smiling wryly. "Ohh... Why so grim, Tia?" He smirked and spoke to her sarcastically. "_Rejoice._ Your enemy is defeated now, so your kingdom is safe. No enemy of yours is worth mourning for..."

She looked at him again, then she closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. Even after all that had happened, she could not stand seeing him in that state. She could not watch peacefully as he faded away. "...It is not like that, Discord. You... You were more than our enemy before this, and you know that. You were our dearest friend. Even... more than that."

She watched silently as he muttered and laughed to himself. _...Just what in the world came over you, Wilder...? No... Not Wilder... Discord... Was it really a lie... all along...?_ She opened her eyes a bit and glanced at Discord as he kept snickering. She said nothing as she watched his pitiful state, though he still kept laughing, as if his situation was the most amusing occurrence in the world.

She knew that he laughed sarcastically, with all the dark irony he could muster. She also knew very well that he was doing it on purpose, too. To spite and torment her, even in his last moments. He would not go down quietly and uneventfully, that much she had learned from the draconequus, whichever his name had been from the very beginning. "Oh, Discord..."

Luna stepped forward. She put a hoof on Celestia's shoulder as she looked at her worriedly. "Sister, we should just... Let us be on our way..."

Discord sighed and shook his head. "Dear Celestia and Luna... How long will it be, I wonder?" He looked down at them with a weak smile. "How long before those precious Elements go away, and I am free again...?" His lion paw turned to stone. He looked at it and chuckled slightly.

Celestia stood by, her gaze still serious. "That will not be possible, Discord. The Elements of Harmony will always prevail. It is fated. You will not return."

Luna looked down without speaking. Though she refused to show her tears, she still felt as though she would break down the moment she uttered a word.

Celestia sighed and looked away from Discord. "It is over now." Her horn started to glow as she prepared a spell to finish turning him to stone. It was merciful to turn him into stone once and for all. Regardless of everything he did, she would give that last kindness to the beloved friend that once was in that draconequus. "It seems as though it was meant to be."

Discord grunted with effort, smirking at Celestia. "Don't worry, Tia... We'll meet again. I'd appreciate it if you looked at me while you spoke... You still are speaking to me, not to stone..." He stretched his eagle arm with difficulty, pointing it upwards. "Ngh... You know... There is one thing I meant to do, in case something like this happened... I was thinking of doing it while you were my mindless little toy, but then that wouldn't have been fun at all..."

Celestia stepped back. She looked at him with caution and a bit of anger, since he had brought up his hypnotic spell again. "What? What could you possibly want from me at this point, Discord?"

Discord concentrated the remains of his magic to elongate his neck. He moved his head rapidly towards Celestia, then grinned as he caught her off guard. As he reached her, he quickly placed his lips over hers and kissed her gently, just as he smiled. "This, Tia." _That face... Oh, it's just priceless._

She blinked, completely surprised and shocked by Discord's unannounced action. "What... D-Discord, this..." She stammered as she stumbled back. She gave him a startled look. "What did you do that for?!" She fought the urge to step away from him. She was still working on keeping her heart from beating right out of her chest.

The spell forced his neck back to its normal length. "Ah, that face of yours... You look just lovely when you're caught off guard, y'know. I'll always remember that." _Tia... Those things I said in the Dark Dimension... Those things I used to do you in... I..._ He laughed hysterically. It was a laugh that he had not done before. His mouth was wide open and his head thrown back, his eyes were closed. _I didn't mean them... It would've been nice if I could have actually taken your feelings seriously, wouldn't it? I should have let you talk about them a bit longer back there... It felt good..._ He sighed and smiled a little. _But I'll be back, Tia. Oh, you can bet I will! And when I am, everything will be much better than this._

He kept laughing, startling the sisters with how open and genuine his laughter was. It was in that happy moment of his that the spell took full effect, and he became completely covered in stone.

Celestia stood still with shock as she stared at the stone statue with disbelief. "Discord..."

Luna slumped down on the ground and started to cry. She called out Discord's old name between her cries.

Celestia walked over to her to comfort her, though she herself felt emotionally exhausted and drained. She felt shattered, but she embraced her little sister nonetheless, and patted her head softly. She summoned strength so that she could comfort Luna. "It will be fine, Luna. Everything will be okay now. We did it. We defeated the threat that he had become, and saved our subjects. They will be in peace and happy now, with our help. They will be happy and grateful to see us, like always. We will ll fix everything in no time. We..."

"But, but he wast our friend, sister! How... Oh, how could we do that to him?! What wilt we do now, sister? What... What wilt we do without him?!"

Celestia closed her eyes as she stood up. She took a deep breath and spoke seriously. "We are going to be princesses, Luna, just like we always have been. We will lead this kingdom away from these misfortunes, back to its peaceful ways. We will rule together, with or without... Discord."

Luna sniffed as she wiped her tears away. "It wilt be so lonely without him, sister. We cannot believe this, We... We did... We did this to our friend. He wast our friend! We..."

Celestia put her hoof on Luna's shoulder. "We had to, Luna. Do not feel-"

"How wilt We move on after this?! We don't know what to do now... How can we just keep going on like nothing happened...? How wilt we be happy without him, sister? It ist not possible!" She buried her face in her sister's shoulder and cried some more.

Celestia patted her sister worriedly. She had never seen her so shaken up. She hoped she would be able to calm her soon. "Shh. Calm down, Luna. Fate will fix things somehow. It will be okay, dear."

She cried quietly herself as her little sister sobbed. However, she quickly wiped her tears away and smiled at Luna as she held her face up to look into her eyes. "It is alright. We will be fine, you will see." She hoped that Luna would grow tired from her crying. She figured that rest was what her little sister needed. _All of us do..._

An elder's voice spoke as ponies approached them from behind. "Princess Celestia. Princess Luna, thou hath done it." Starswirl appeared before them, accompanied by a scout of royal guards.

Celestia nuzzled Luna. "Oh, Luna. You were so strong for me back there. Thank you so much."

"Sister..." She sniffled, looking up at Celestia.

"If it had not been for your determination and courage, I would still be under Discord's spell." Celestia held Luna's face again. "You would be gone, and so would be our kingdom as we know it. I am not the only one there is for our subjects to thank, Luna. You fought as hard or even harder that I did. Find your strength, little sister, we still have things to look after." Celestia smiled encouragingly at Luna as she wiped away her tears. She supported her to help her up, then looked at Starswirl. "Thank you very much, Master Starswirl. We did try our best. We discovered powerful elements of magic while fighting him. Elements that we believe will be very useful in the future. I trust that you will see to them later."

Starswirl nodded as he analyzed the statue that Discord became. "This must have been a powerful spell. Thou hath secured the kingdom's future, Thy Highnesses." He looked at the princesses.

Celestia let out a weary sigh. "We are just glad that we were able to succeed. Things should be returning to normal in the kingdom, that is a good thing as well. Are you alright, Master Starswirl?"

"I wilt be fine, thank you, princess." He looked at the royal guards and spoke in a stern commanding tone. "Guards, taketh the prisoner and put him in a dark brig, where he belongs."

Celestia looked up at Discord. She stayed silent for a short moment as the guards approached the statue. "...No." She didn't look back at the statue or her guards as she instructed them. Instead, she walked past them as she spoke. "Leave him in the palace garden grounds, in the labyrinth. He will remain there, imprisoned, and... forgotten over time."

The guards saluted and began to load Discord onto the chariot that they had brought Starswirl in.

Starswirl sighed and walked towards Luna. He could not help but feel sympathy for the young princess as she turned away from the statue. He watched as she cringed and held back tears when Discord was loaded into the chariot like a common, inanimate object.

Luna looked down once she turned away. _We must be strong... This.._. She blinked as Starswirl put his hoof on her shoulder. "M-Master Starswirl. We-"

"Night Princess, I am sorry for the loss of thy friend. Even so... I believe thou hath done many a better good by imprisoning him than thou wouldst have done by taking his life, or, of course, letting him run wild."

Luna looked aside. "We do not know, Master Starswirl..."

"Please, Thy Highness. Feel comforted to know that thy friend ist still there. Perhaps, in time, he wilt find his way back to thee."

Luna looked up at him. "Master... Doth thou thinketh so?"

Celestia looked up at Discord one last time. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of their first, and last, kiss. But then she thought of what little she could remember of the time he manipulated her in the Dark Dimension. She remembered the low methods that he had used to succeed.

She shook her head and sternly banished her tears. _From now on, it is the well-being if my kingdom that I will dedicate myself to. I will be a rightful princess, fully devoted to my subjects._ She walked forward with decision and determination. She kept her head high despite her sorrow.

Starswirl nodded and patted Luna's head. "I am sure, Luna. Time fixest all." He smiled at her, then walked over to a guard to speak to him as they prepared to head back to the castle. "Maketh sure that the guards in the city follow these instructions as well."

"Yes, sir."

Starswirl turned back to the princesses. "I shalt meet thee back at the castle." His horn glowed light blue as he teleported himself back to the capital city.

Celestia looked up at the sky. "It should be getting darker..." She smiled at Luna, who nodded to signal that she was ready to bring the moon up on the sky. She sighed and turned forward to lower the sun. "Let us go, Luna. Our duty here is done."

"Yes, sister. We must be going indeed. There ist much for us to do." Luna smiled just a bit as she and Celestia started to fly back to their kingdom. Her small smile did not last long, however, and she was soon looking down at the view below them with a sad gaze while Celestia continued to try to cheer her up.

* * *

Present Celestia looked at Twilight Sparkle with a solemn expression once she finished her tale. She closed her eyes and sighed. "And so this, Twilight Sparkle, is how we and Discord... knew each other, in the past. He once saved Equestria, only to threaten to destroy it himself. Twice now, apparently."

Twilight Sparkle stood stunned before the princess. She stared ahead as she tried to understand everything that she had heard and learned from the Sun Princess' story of the past. "P-Princess Celestia, I... Oh, I don't know what to say... What _can_ I say...?" One uncomfortable and odd thought in particular came to her mind. She knew it was not very mature at all, but she could not help thinking it nonetheless. She made a disgusted face. "Princess, he... He kissed...!"

Celestia opened her eyes a bit wider and blushed the slightest bit. "Twilight, I... I'd rather not talk about it." She got serious again as she turned to look aside. "We were young and foolish back then. Besides... To this day, I still don't know what Discord's true intentions were with that kiss, given his horrible actions before that. So I left it for a devious act, behind in the labyrinth, along with him."

Twilight looked down at the floor as she thought. "This... This certainly is..."

Celestia paced for a bit as she spoke. "I only told you this to give you an insight of his ways so that you could fend for yourselves against him, Twilight Sparkle. He is a trickster at heart, and a manipulator of the highest, or lowest, class. He will do everything in his power to deviate you from your task, and set whatever and anypony that he can against you." She stopped and looked down at her student with a very serious face. "You must keep this in mind, Twilight. I can't stress this enough. Do not let his ways deceive you."

Twilight looked up at Celestia with a determined face. She nodded and bowed her head briefly before preparing to take off. "Don't worry, Princess Celestia. You can count on us, I promise we will all do our best. We won't fail you and the kingdom!" With that, she headed out the door, after her friends.

Celestia turned around and walked to the window to watch the six young mares as they entered the labyrinth in the palace gardens. "Oh, I wish you the best of luck, my faithful pupil."

* * *

Oh... I was listening to 'My Heart Will Go On' as I posted this. Oh, Celestia, the feels! Felt quite... a few things, with Discord's stone end. Honestly, quite a powerful scene, I really don't feel like I did it justice.

Well, end of the flashback story! Hm, I feel like I could have put some more stuff into it... Particularly the present scene. I felt it was quite appropriate that it was Twilight who Celestia told the story to. I mean, who else, really? And both my RP pal and I decided that the proper time in the present to introduce this 'story time' would be Discord's return, 'The Return of Harmony'.

So basically, after the other five left the castle, Celestia called Twilight aside to warn her of Discord's manipulative ways. I suppose she decided to do this starting from the beginning, explaining how Discord was before and what became of him. It was important that Twilight knew everything, right? That way she would see through Discord's tricks! How they still ended up being manipulated into Discord's games, it's beyond me and the Sun Princess. I guess Twilight just didn't know how to apply the knowledge she gained from the princess. Eh, the story obviously took shorter to tell, by the way, it's not like she spent hours and hours on end telling her.


	21. Brief Reunion

**Brief Reunion**

Once she watched Twilight Sparkle and her five friends depart the castle, Celestia headed to the library, intent on finding as much information as she could so that the kingdom would once again stand a chance against Discord. The hours went by as she worked and studied diligently, dedicating all her concentration to the books and notes around her.

A worn and weary violet unicorn limped into the library. She supported herself against the door as she pushed it open. She had a cutie mark of several stars, dark sapphire mane with streaks of brilliant rose and violet, and violet eyes. She limped further into the room with struggle. Her mane and tail were a mess, and she had scratches and bruises over her legs and body. "Prin-Princess... Princess Celestia...!" She whispered alarmingly to her teacher.

Celestia turned to face the door, then gasped as she looked at her student. "T-Twilight Sparkle. What... What happened?!" She quickly stood up to tend to the young mare.

Twilight Sparkle collapsed on the floor. The magic around her horn faded out. She groaned as she pushed her head up to look at Celestia. "I-I'm very sorry, Princess... We tried... We really did... D-Discord... He... He prepared a trap for us... I just made it out... I d-don't know about the others... Princess... Th-There's something I... need to tell you...!"

Celestia now stood right before Twilight. Her expression was completely alarmed. "What is it? Twilight, you need a doctor." She looked around quickly, glancing back down at Twilight. "Don't worry, my student. It will be fine. I will just-"

Before Celestia could walk away, Twilight lifted her hoof weakly and called the Sun Princess towards her. "No... Just... Please come closer... Who knows who might be spying for Discord, o-only you must know, Princess... P-Please come... closer..."

"Twilight, you really need to rest..." Celestia leaned closer to help her stand up. She spoke to her with great concern. "What you need to tell me can wait until you have been-" She grunted a bit as Twilight slid down from her, forcing the princess to kneel down on her front knees to look at her.

"P-Princess... I..." She moved her head closer to the princess'. "I... I..."

Celestia turned to look at her again. She blinked and gave the young unicorn a confused look as Twilight pulled herself closer to her. "Twilight?"

Once she was close enough, Twilight closed her eyes and licked her teacher's nose upwards, then proceeded to giggle on the floor.

Celestia gasped and stared at her with wide eyes. "T-Twilight Sparkle! What...?!" She stammered, stunned as she watched Twilight roll around the floor, laughing hysterically while she did.

Twilight smiled at Celestia. She batted her eyelashes at her. "I've always wanted to do that, teacher. Forget Discord, let _me_ by your side tonight, princess."

Celestia jumped to her feet as she stared at her in shock. "This... What kind of mockery is this...?!"

Twilight dashed next to the princess. "Princess, let me explain. It's just that... Well, your charm is so irresistible, your way of being is so desirable. Please, princess, say you'll let me spend the rest of my mortal life with you... I'll be whatever you want me to be, faithful as ever. Only even closer!" She knelt before Celestia and held one of her hooves as she looked up at her with a smirk.

Celestia kept looking at her. She pulled her hoof away and shook her head quickly. "This isn't right. There's something wrong with you, Twilight Sparkle. But I don't understand, what could Discord possibly have done that would bring this? You're... You're supposed to be out there searching for the Elements of Harmony!" She looked back at Twilight and noticed that the unicorn was ignoring her completely, still flirting with her instead. Which of course put the princess in a really awkward and uncomfortable position. She frowned as she thought. Her mind raced all around as she tried to come up with a solution, and most importantly, a cause for Twilight's strange and awkward behavior. _Probably his hypnosis... I mean, he could definitely do something like this... That... no-good..._

Twilight fell back on the floor. She held her sides with her hooves as she laughed. "Did you like my little act there, Celestia?" She looked at Celestia smugly as she spoke, but the voice was a much different, much older tone. It was that of a male that Celestia certainly knew and would recognize anywhere.

Celestia blinked, then glared at the impostor. "Discord! I should have known it was you from the start!" She closed her eyes as her her horn glowed. She shot a magic spell at the Twilight impostor, effectively removing Discord's disguise. "What do you dare do back here?! In the palace, no less!"

Discord smiled as he summoned random books from the shelves with the snap of his fingers. "Ah, this place sure brings back some... hazy memories..." He looked around at the library with an uninterested gaze. "It sure hasn't changed. Yet somehow it still brings me some headache that I also find quite familiar-"

Celestia interrupted her with a very serious tone in her voice. "I asked you a question." She still stood on guard as she glared at Discord, for she would not fall for his trickery and 'casual conversation' facade. She had learned the hard way that he tended to lay his traps by initiating random conversation out of nowhere, and he sprung them up when he manipulated the conversation however he wished.

Discord scoffed and gave her an offended look. "Cutting my conversation short like that? Tsk, tsk, tsk. How rude of you, Celestia. And you pride yourself of being a princess?"

Celestia walked closer to him. Her horn glowed menacingly when he raised his paw, about to probably turn the library upside-down, knowing him. As soon as he caught a glimpse of her stern look and her glowing horn, he lowered his paw back to his side. She huffed a bit. "Do forgive my lack of manners, Discord. But I now know that I must cut to the chase and be on my guard at all times, if I am in the presence of... someone like you."

"Celestia, 'someone like me'? Surely you jest. You say it as contemptuously as you would describe the lowest of low in Equestria. Do you really feel that way about me now?"

Celestia glanced at him from over her shoulder. "Is it that noticeable?" She quickly stood away from him as he came closer.

Discord chuckled. "Ah, yes. I understand now. You think I'm going to hypnotize you again, don't you? Maybe I should try that, it was simply delightful back at the time..." He started to float closer to her again.

Celestia's horn glowed a brighter gold. "Discord, don't you dare even think about it!" She stomped her hoof on the ground angrily to show her threat would not be an empty one.

Discord snickered and appeared back in his place. "But I do not like repetition. I simply dropped by to say hello. You didn't answer my question, back when I met your 'new' Elements of Harmony. Did you miss me?" He made the summoned books form themselves into a bed and laid casually on it.

Celestia spoke to him with a very serious tone again and never took her eyes off him. She did not want to keep too much eye contact with him, but was prepared to resist his hypnotic spells if he attempted them. "No. How could I? You only wanted to destroy not only my kingdom, but my sister and me. What Luna and I sealed away was nothing but evil, Discord. You were only evil, how could I have missed that? I have trained for years. I have taught disciples through the centuries in the ways of good magic. I have strengthened my kingdom. All to keep something like you from occurring again. And to end it quickly, shall evil rise again."

"Oh, Celestia, you've offended me!" Discord appeared a box of tissues and fake-teared an act. "I've been SO LONELY! You're absolutely right, I am a terrible monster." He sarcastically sobbed continuously, then looked at her after he took a break. "You should use those elements now, and turn me back to stone." He stretched out his arms and awaited the spell of the Elements of Harmony with a resigned expression. "It is the only thing to be done for a disgraceful, evil thing like me."

Celestia narrowed her eyes and glared at him more intensely. "I really don't appreciate your..."

Discord's bed of books was vanished by cobalt blue magic. He would have fallen on the floor from the sudden lack of support, had he not remained floating in the air.

Celestia turned aside to see Luna walk into the room. She smiled a little at her little sister, relieved to see as much determination in her eyes as she herself had in hers.

Luna walked up to them and glared at Discord once she stopped in front of him. "We thought thou wouldst be back at the labyrinth, as thou indicated in thy riddle."

"Hm, are my little hints really becoming _this_ obvious? Oh, my, I need to do some retouches... Not quite entertaining this way, is it..." Discord muttered to himself as he looked up in thought. He chuckled at some thought before he looked back at Luna, who was still glaring at him.

"What happened? Didst thou get scared, Discord?" She looked even more serious and colder towards him than Celestia did, and of shorter patience as well.

Celestia looked at Luna, then back at Discord. "I suggest you no longer play around with us, Discord."

Discord feigned enthusiasm as he looked at the younger princess. "Oh, enters again our sweet Princess of the Night! Or do you go by 'Nightmare Moon' now?"

Luna narrowed her eyes and quickly tried to attack him with a magic blast, which he skillfully dodged to mock her further. She growled a bit. "Thou art...!"

"Not so sweet anymore though, are you?" He turned back to Celestia. "Come on, Celestia. Let's not waste time! Summon your Elements and let's get into action, like we did more than a thousand years ago." He jumped excitedly, then turned to them with a mocking grin. "Unless, of course... The elements are now really out of YOU, and in those new little ponies that I met, as I predicted earlier! Am I wrong?"

Celestia shook her head a bit as she stared calmly at him. "We don't need the Elements of Harmony right here with us to give you a good fight, Discord. Like I said earlier, we have trained and have gotten much stronger, while you remained a statue for all this time."

Luna looked at Celestia with an annoyed expression. She let out an exasperated sigh and walked past her sister. "Sister, forget talking, thou knoweth quite well that 'talking' dost not work with him. He ist only stalling!" Her horn glowed again as she opened her wings and flew forward to attack Discord.

"Luna, wait!"

Luna glared at Discord as she approached at full speed. "We wilt not give thee the chance to-"

Discord levitated Luna with the snap of his fingers. He chuckled as he watched her struggle. "Ah, this is getting rather old... But it's so much fun nonetheless. Wouldn't you say, little Luna?"

"Discord! Put us down!" Luna got ready to use her magic again, but screamed as Discord shook his claw a few times and in turn shook her in the air. She lost her concentration from the shaking and ended up dizzy.

Discord smirked smugly at Luna as she shook and held her head. "Did you think it was going to be that easy?" He glanced at Celestia. "Did you think I wasn't concentrating for years while sealed in stone? I kept improving my magic skills while sealed in stone, you know."

Luna narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. "We art not impressed. For a creature that spent so many years cast away as thou hath, it dost not seem to us like thou hath gotten any stronger, Discord."

Discord smirked. "Well, _you_ on the other hand... Looks like you've let your skills get rather dull and rusty. And that goes for both of you, girls. What a shame!" He laughed.

Luna's face turned serious. "Ngh..."

Celestia simply stared at Discord as he laughed at their expense. She closed her eyes a bit when he mocked Luna's and her powers, but did not give him the joy of watching her react rashly.

He crossed his arms after he stopped laughing. "You'd be surprised what dimensions you can encounter in the sealed realm, you know. Collective Unconscious, time dimensions, imaginative worlds, parallel universes, etc. They're quite tedious, sure, and most completely unreal, but good nonetheless, and entertaining in the sense that I was still able to grow stronger and better than ever."

Celestia didn't so much as raise an eyebrow. "Is that so? How thrilling for you. I'm glad that you discovered so much in your demented mind. It truly must have been quite a ride." She spoke with sarcasm in her nearly monotonous tone.

He only smirked and shrugged off her cutting lack of interest. "You know I can detect magic power amongst creatures, right? Well, imagine my surprise when the first thing I noticed, when I turned my attention back to this boring world, was how much YOUR power diminished since those six elements took physical form! Oh, it all started when you, Celestia, sealed Nightmare Moon away. Not to mention how weak _you_ got, little Luna, ugh. You turned into quite a disaster, didn't you! With all your evil having consumed you and all." He waved his paw dismissively at them, then grinned again. "But I assure you... Unlike you spoiled princesses, _I_ am as strong as ever, if not more so!"

Luna gritted her teeth as he started to laugh again. She had had enough of his boating and mockery, so she blasted him back to break away from his magic and fly on her own.

Celestia looked at Luna. She cautioned her to remain calm and not encourage Discord further with her temper. Once she saw that Luna flew back to her side, she faced Discord again. "Well, it really doesn't matter how much stronger you have become over this time, Discord. You will never be able to defeat the Elements of Harmony. Just like you will never be a match for Twilight Sparkle and her friends. I know their friendship will overcome your tricks, always."

Luna crouched a bit as Discord turned to look at her when she spoke. "Pray-tell, Discord... Why art thou still here, if thou hath grown so mighty and powerful? We believe thou should be defeating Twilight Sparkle and the others by now, with such power."

"Well, can't a guy have-"

Luna stepped forward in the air to interrupt him. She cut him off when she leaned towards him to confront him. She still had a defiant smile on her face. "Do face it, Discord. Thou truly art afraid of them."

Discord raised an eyebrow as he pushed her back. "Oh, please. Afraid of those little ponies? That's not even a good joke. Not that I didn't expect it, you're still as boring as you ever were." He rolled his eyes and leaned away from her. "I should turn you into something for that annoying comment, Luna. Perhaps a rock? You happen to be as interesting as one."

Luna remained unintimidated, still determined to give Discord a piece of her mind. "Thou must face the truth. We know that thou art not able to battle them with only thine own wicked power. Thy wicked intent would not stand a chance against the power of their friendship. So thou resorteth, like usual, to the power of thy lowly and deceiving tricks, to what dirty hidden cheap shots thou thinketh of. Predictable as ever."

Discord snickered at her as Luna was suddenly avalanched by books that fell down seemingly out of nowhere. "Okay, yes! Let's talk about low and deceiving tricks, shall we? Because _your_ motives surely were SO much better."

Luna frowned and was about to protest before he lifted his paw to silence her.

He snapped his fingers and gave himself a helmet like Nightmare Moon's. He then mocked Luna in a childish voice. "Oh, sister, why can't We play with the ponies? We art cute too! Sister, sister, can't We play with the moon for ten more minutes? It's so pretty and shiny and nopony likes it! Why aren't We as popular as you, sister, We work hard, too! Sister, SISTER!" He burst out laughing.

"Stop it!" Both sisters snapped at him with a menacingly serious tone. They were upset by his mocking and were both going to remedy it if he did not stop it on his own.

He chuckled and disappeared the helmet. He got comfortable while laying on the air again. "I might be 'predictable', Luna, but at least I'm going to succeed in getting rid of them, just as I will get rid of you two. But unlike your pitiful methods, I am actually going to use effective tactics."

Luna growled as she pushed the fallen books out of her way with her magic. She started to make her way through the mess towards Discord. "Why, thou art the most despicable pissant We have ever-"

"Luna, watch your language."

Luna glared back at Celestia. "Sister! He ist-"

Celestia looked at Discord cautiously again. "What 'tactics' would those would be, Discord? Something dirty and low, I'm sure. You don't know anything else or better." She focused on holding Luna back to keep her from physically attacking him. She knew it would not end well.

Discord smiled mockingly as he unleashed his sarcasm on her. "Of course, Celestia! Let me tell you my plan so that you can inform your precious little student and have her ready! Not that it would really matter if I actually did tell you. Either way, I'm not about to fall for that."

Celestia lowered her head as she glared at Discord. "Whatever it is you are planning, Discord, I should warn you that it will not have good results for you. It won't-"

He looked out the window and spotted the Mane Six as they approached the labyrinth._Wow, everything is coming along so nicely... Hardly even had to lift a claw or paw._ He turned back to the princesses. "Well! Not that this conversation wasn't entertaining, but much chaos awaits, with very little time. _Arrivederci,_ ladies!"

Celestia and Luna looked away from the blast of white light that enveloped the whole library room as he vanished from their sight.

~~~

Celestia looked out the window and gasped when she spotted Discord. He had teleported right above the Mane Six and remained unnoticed as he took away their horns and wings.

"Oh, no. It's a trap, I know it! He, he's just going to toy with them and entertain himself before getting serious. So he's gotten arrogant and overconfident as well..." She stood away and remembered Discord's riddle. "C'mon... Think, Celestia... There must be more to it... 'Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began'."

Luna looked at Celestia as she paced in front of her. "We do not have much time, sister. We have other things to do. Canterlot is also-"

"Yes, I know. Let's do what we can to help the Royal Guard, but we also have to think about what he said, Luna." She nodded her head forward and led Luna out of the library.

~~~

They walked through the palace and tried to calm down the panicking servants that were tormented by Discord's magic.

Celestia sighed as she looked at the city. "Unbelievable... He's done it again..."

Luna gasped as she finally figured out the meaning of Discord's riddle. "Sister, the twists and turns do not mean the labyrinth!"

Celestia nodded in agreement and turned to pace around the throne room. She was deep in thought again. "No, they mean the tricks and deceit that he uses. But... Twilight and the others haven't figured that out yet, they're heading straight into the labyrinth as we speak..."

"And the Elements, Celestia... They art not... Not in..." Luna shook her head as she struggled to finish her sentence. "They art not in the labyrinth. Twilight Sparkle and her friends did not start there, they... Oh, We have to tell them!" She quickly flew out through the open window and headed towards the labyrinth herself.

"Good luck, Luna... I hope you reach them in time..." Celestia tried to get a better view of the labyrinth, but no matter how hard she tried, she could no longer spot Twilight or any of her friends. "It's started... Oh, Luna, please hurry..."

She moved away from the window and continued to think to herself. "What if Luna's not enough...? There must be something I can do, he'll most likely use the worst of his magic, so I have to find a powerful way to dispel it. But how...? Let's see..."

She sighed and looked up at the painted window glass pieces, which all told the story of fateful events through Equestria's history. "...I know that Twilight and her friends won't lose to Discord in the end. But if their friendship were to..." She continued thinking for a bit as she closed her eyes to concentrate. _That's what he would seek to destroy, because that is what he fears._

She opened her eyes and looked up as realization hit her. She smiled triumphantly. "Their friendship! Of course!" She hurried towards the special study room that she kept exclusively for Twilight's Friendship Letters. _I have a feeling that there will definitely be use for those. Their friendship is the ultimate weapon to count and rely on. Twilight Sparkle, Elements of Harmony... Girls, I won't let you all fail!_

* * *

Hm, this chapter wasn't really too exciting to work on... But I guess it's necessary! And it wasn't really that bad. Discord's trolling. XD Of **course** he would do that. What else! All the mocking is a must, too.

So this explains a bit of what happened while the labyrinth game for the Mane Six took place. That sneaky Discord.

Yes, my partner and I borrowed bits and pieces from both _The Return of Harmony_ episodes for this, I think it gave a good base for the present part of the story. Taking place in a canon event. And what better event for Discord's introduction than The Return of Harmony! We didn't do the whole episodes, though, no worries. And, as you can see, they're incorporated through different points of view and angles of the episodes.

Celestia and Luna are quite smart! Figuring out something that took Twilight two episodes. Well, then again, they're the awesome princesses of Equestria, have thousand years' of experience over the little Mane Six.

I love how Discord keeps teasing Luna. I really like our take on their relationship. Sibling-like, pretty much, except for the times when Discord tries to kill her through one method of suffocation or another. You'll see. ^^

Thank you for your great support and interest, it really means a lot! Feedback comments will ALWAYS be appreciated, work hard to obtain those!


	22. Labyrinth Antics

**Labyrinth Antics**

Discord waited patiently as the Mane Six went their separate ways through the labyrinth in the palace grounds. He chuckled as he watched them walk through the confusing place, which he had purposely expanded and blown to ridiculous and illogical proportions.

He spotted the first of his victims and quickly schemed his next move. "This is going to be so nice... Let's have it, then." He snapped his fingers and with that laid the bait for the light gamboge-coated earth pony.

"What in tarnation?!" Applejack followed three rolling apples that appeared on the ground out of nowhere. She followed them quickly as they rolled down through the maze. She ran after them until she got to the orchard. "What is this place?" She walked forward and cautiously observed the orchard.

Luna stopped over the labyrinth and quickly looked around at the scattered young mares. "No!" She flew closer to try to reach them. _They art already separated... We must hurry!_ She grunted a bit as she reached one of the first sections that seemed out of place in the labyrinth; the orchard. She frowned when she saw that Applejack was already being broken by Discord's cunning tricks. _No. Do not believe him. Ignore whatever he says! It ist just an illusion, Applejack! Just like-_

Applejack seemed quite distressed as she stepped away from the pond that had showed her the 'truth' about her friendship. She had seen that she and her friends drifted apart from one another in the end. She took her hat off as she spoke sadly. "That just _can't_ be the truth. It just can't!"

_"When all the truth does is make your heart ache..."_ Discord transferred his mind into one of the Keepers to speak through it as it slid in front of Applejack. _"...Sometimes a lie is easier to take."_

Luna flew closer and glared at Discord. "Discord, leaveth her alone at once!" Of course, she was ignored, and could only watch as Applejack was hypnotized into becoming dishonest. "Oh, no... She wast...!"

Twilight was seen approaching her corrupted friend. She had tried to talk to Applejack, but she quickly evaded Twilight's questions with lies and walked away.

Luna smiled a bit as she spotted her sister's faithful student. "Oh, Twilight Sparkle! Wait! There ist something that We must tell thee-" She was blocked off by a thick wall of shrubbery before she could approach Twilight. "Ngh! This...!" She glared at Discord once he showed himself to her. "Thou art-"

Discord chuckled while he shook his head at Luna. "Oh, I don't think you'll interfere this time, little Luna." He grinned as he put his arms behind his back. "Fate is a funny thing, isn't it? No more than a year ago, you were trying to destroy these same ponies. Now you act as if you actually intend to _save_ them."

"We do! And We wilt save them, Discord! We shalt save them from thee, no matter how much further We must venture into this labyrinth! We know just what thou meanest to do. This hast nothing to do with thine actual plan. It ist just-"

Discord laughed and waved his paw at her dismissively after he interrupted her. "And here I thought you had no sense of humor, dear Luna! You've surprised me quite a bit."

Luna narrowed her eyes. "Dost thou intendeth to manipulate them, Discord?! Wilt thou collapse with mirth when thou seest them suffer? Wilt it be like that time, when thou shamelessly rejoiced with the manipulation of our sister?!"

Discord laughed even harder when she raised her voice. He did not give her any other type of answer.

Luna let out an angry breath. She glared daggers at Discord as she spoke icily. "Thou becometh more predictable as the years go by."

"And you become more and more annoying. I can't believe anyone can put up with you. Maybe that's why you were sent to the moon? For your annoyance and your jealousy. You should've gone to your precious moon to stay, Luna."

"Thou wisheth, Discord."

"Face it, Luna. You will NEVER measure up. You don't have what it takes to match my power! None of you do. Even the Elements of Harmony were so easy to whisk away..."

"It doth not take too much to break manipulating magic like thine. Even if it ist of chaos-" She looked aside as she heard Pinkie Pie happily hop around the maze. She bit her lip, then quickly flew off to the side, deciding to not waste any more time with him.

Discord smirked and calmly watched her leave. "Hohoh. See you later, then, Luna!" He waved at her as the path stretched endlessly before her. He raised an eyebrow as Luna became frustrated, but did not give up and kept flying by the path, regardless of its increasing length. "Hm. Of course she's still as stubborn as ever. Perhaps even more so now. How truly annoying. Ah, well..." He snapped his fingers and disappeared, just as Pinkie Pie talked back to the laughing balloons that had tripped her.

* * *

After a short while, Discord could already be heard conversing with the broken, mare that usually lived for ever present joy and laughter.

_"Oh, poor Pinkie Pie. And here I thought laughter made you... happy."_

"Happy?" A gray, bitter Pinkie Pie hissed. She stood up with a frown on her face. "I don't think so!"

Luna shook her head as she saw the transformed Pinkie Pie glare ahead with a horrible mood. "No. We art not moving right. Not fast enough! We must get to Twilight Sparkle, there ist no time!" She flew over another path of the labyrinth, and used her magic to steadily move through the obstacle bushes and hedges, even the walls.

She stopped when she spotted Rarity. "Ah, Rarity, there she ist!" She looked ahead at the rock wall that awaited Rarity and frowned suspiciously. "What ist Discord up to now? No matter, We must warn her..."

The fashion-driven, glamorous pony walked around with all property through the maze, all the while complaining to herself.

Luna did her best to reach her despite the delaying traps and tricks that tried to hold her off. "Rarity!" _We art almost there...!_ "Do not go further! It ist a trap!"

Rarity still could not hear her. She was a good distance away from the Night Princess, and continued to walk further away. "I was expecting an audience with the Princess, not outdoor sports." She screamed with in surprise and pain when she slammed face-first against a wall of stone.

Luna shook her head desperately. "No. Rarity, thou must wait!" She tried to fly faster to approach her, but she was continuously slowed down by wrapping vines that she was forced to blast away.

"What? Oh, my..." Rarity muttered as she looked at the rock wall ahead of her. The nearly blinding shine of the three gemstones embedded on the wall stole all her attention. She soon was fascinated by the beauty of the gems as a face appeared in the reflective surface.

Discord spoke to Rarity from the three gemstones' reflection after he chuckled._"Welcome to your lucky day, Rarity. You found the one thing in Equestria that could rival my face for sheer beauty."_

He summoned more vines against Luna to keep her busy. While he did that, the white unicorn mare dug through the stone wall. She had already 'succumbed to such fabulousness' and become greedy and selfish as she desperately dug through the rock wall with her bare hooves.

He grinned from the other side and appeared a boulder for Rarity to find and cherish as an invaluable diamond. "Heheheh." He looked at Luna and lifted three fingers of his claw to mock her.

Luna glared at him as Discord laughed. This wast the perfect place for him to do this. We really should have known better! She pulled herself free from the vines. "What art We going to do...? How art We going to get to them?!" She blasted the vines away again and winced as they tried to grab onto her wings.

Rarity muttered to herself once she finished digging. She was thoroughly covered in dirt, but happily embracing the large boulder, which, under her illusion, was a giant, glittering diamond. "Well, Rarity. It took forever, but it was worth it. Who knew three little gemstones would turn out to be this _handsome hunk of a diamond?!_" She spoke tenderly to the boulder as she got ready to haul it away. "Now to get you home~"

Luna gave Rarity a deadpan look as she watched her haul the boulder away. "This hast got to be a joke..."

She sighed wearily and turned to the side. "Oh, no..." She jumped a bit as the wall that had trapped Rarity collapsed to reveal the violet unicorn and the two earth ponies behind it. She smiled with relief and happiness again. "Twilight Sparkle! We have something to tell thee, it ist very important!" She flew over to her and the others, but grunted when she crashed against what appeared to be glass.

"Ngh!" She looked up and found that she was surrounded by glass. Suddenly, there was a snowy environment around her, inside the glass container that held her.

"What..." She noticed that everything outside of the glass field was bigger, and that there was no way out of the space that seemed to be snowing, but had all the snow stop falling once it all landed on the ground. It was just like a snow globe that held her in like a prison.

She narrowed her eyes and growled a bit with exasperation. It wasn't the first time that she found herself trapped inside something. _Discord must really be growing impatient. But at least this trap ist not quite deadly._ She looked up in front of the globe again. "Twilight Sparkle!" She pounded on the glass to try to break out or to get Twilight's attention, but she figured it would be futile to try.

Discord picked the globe up in his lion paw and snickered. "My. What a cute little scenery I gave you to spend your time in, wouldn't you say, Luna?" He shook it to get the snow going again, and to daze Luna. "Heh, heh... Well, so long, Night Princess." He threw the globe like a frisbee, then chuckled with satisfaction when the small object fell into the pond at the palace.

He transformed himself into three butterflies, then grinned as he went after the final two Elements.

* * *

Fluttershy walked timidly through the labyrinth. "Okay, I can do this. I can..." There was the moving of bushes that made her scream and immediately hide. She then blinked as butterflies flew past the hedge where she was hiding.

"Oh, wait a minute." She popped out of the bushes and looked at the butterflies.

"Butterflies? Wait! Don't leave me here!" She chased after them and ended up in another empty, closed part of the labyrinth.

The butterflies flew above her while she stood in front of her. They spoke to her with Discord's voice, though he tried to speak with a higher pitch. _"Fluttershy? Looks like you've been left behind by your so-called 'friends', huh?"_

Fluttershy smiled at the butterflies behind her and spoke to them kindly. "Oh, no. I'm certain they're doing their best to find me."

They circled around her. _"Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are."_ They flew back up.

"Not at all. I _am_ weak and helpless, and I appreciate their understanding" Fluttershy said in a surprisingly confident manner, for her.

The butterflies became irritated, but remained controlled. _"Yes, well, surely it just burns you up, I mean, that they're always pointing out your flaws, right?"_

Fluttershy shook her head slightly. "Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be." She looked up at the butterflies with a small, proud smile.

Discord lost his patience. Not even the princesses had given him that much trouble before. He transformed back, he seemed infuriated. "OH, FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!" He tapped his finger over Fluttershy as he ranted while walking around her. "You've been kind for far too long, my dear. Time to be _cruel! Arrivederci!_" With that, he vanished.

Fluttershy stumbled a bit as he did, but recovered just in time for her friends to catch up to her, and witness her new, transformed nature.

* * *

Rainbow Dash was running around as she searched for the Elements of Harmony diligently. She stopped when she spotted a cloud with a lightning bolt on it. She smirked as the lightning bolt cloud drifted away. "I've got you now, element!" She followed the cloud until she got to Discord, who was leisurely resting on one cloud tied like a hammock to two trees while wearing his large, green sunglasses over his eyes.

He cracked his back as he awoke from his nap. "I can see why you like these clouds so much. Very plush." He smiled and caressed the clouds.

Rainbow Dash quickly hopped around on her back legs. "Get off there and put 'em up! Come on! Let's go!" She raised her front hooves and hopped around on her hind legs, her sight set on him as she urged him on to fight.

Discord sat up on the bed of clouds and gestured his claw and paw in a calm, peaceful manner. "Hey, I'm here to deliver a message."

"I've got a message, for you, too!" She threw a hoof at the air in front of her as she hopped back.

He removed his sunglasses and gained a serious tone. "Listen closely, _this_ is important." He moved around Rainbow Dash as he taunted her with another riddle. "A weighty choice is yours to make. The right selection, or a big mistake. If a wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you." He revealed an image of Cloudsdale collapsing by using the thundering cloud that he snapped into spinning quickly before him.

Rainbow Dash gasped as she watched the illusion that the spinning cloud brought forth. "Cloudsdale... crumble... Without me?!" She shook her head, agitated, as her eyes gained the colors of Discord's spell. "NO!"

A colored box appeared before the two.

Discord pointed to the box and looked at Rainbow Dash as he appeared beside her. "That box contains your wings. You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering this maze. Your choice." He slithered his finger down Rainbow Dash's head, then left her in her dazed state as he moved on to find the corrupted group that was now gathered around Twilight Sparkle.

* * *

Twilight pushed Rarity's diamond rock through the rock. While she performed the tiresome task, she constantly motivated herself with positive thoughts about Rainbow Dash. "Must... find... Rainbow Dash. As a team... we're unstoppable. Rainbow Dash... won't let us down!"

Applejack looked up and raised an eyebrow as she saw a light blue, rainbow-maned pegasus fly off in the opposite direction. "Well, lookie there. Rainbow Dash is flying away. She's abandonin' us!"

Twilight sighed. "Now I know _that's_ a lie." She looked up, then gasped as she saw Rainbow Dash flying over them and the maze. "How can it be?!"

Discord disappeared the whole maze and appeared smiling before the ponies. "Well, well, well. Somepony broke the 'no wings, no magic' rule." He snapped his fingers and returned them all to normal. "Game's over, my little ponies! You didn't find your precious elements." He appeared a pink umbrella and turned it the opposite way. "Looks like we might be due for a big, old storm of chaos!" He laughed evilly as lightning and thunder crashed down behind him.

~~~

Twilight sighed as she watched her strange-behaving friends move about and teased one another. "We need to stick together!"

Fluttershy teased Pinkie Pie with mocking laughter again. "Ha-hah."

Discord laughed as he sat on a blue theater seat. "It's just _too_ entertaining." He ate from his box of popcorn as he watched them.

Twilight gave him a look. "Stop it, Discord. You're not playing fair."

Discord looked at her with a bemused expression. "_I'm_ not playing fair? Perhaps we haven't met." He walked up to her. "I'm Discord, spirit of _chaos_ and _disharmony_..." He leaned closer to her. "Hello?"

Twilight still glared at him. "How are we supposed to find the Elements of Harmony when you took away the labyrinth before we could get to the end?!"

Discord blinked as the violet unicorn snapped at him. "Oh, wait, did you...?" He laughed again. "How funny! You thought the Elements were _in_ the labyrinth?" He snapped his fingers, and in a second he and Twilight Sparkle appeared back at the castle. Discord was using the same spell that he had used to show Celestia and Luna the flashback of Luna's birth.

They watched as the Discord in the flashback greeted the Mane Six and Celestia through the windowpanes in the castle. He and Twilight were sort of transparent and glowing blue in the flashback.

_"Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began."_

He smirked as he looked down at the confused unicorn while his flashback self spoke. He then snapped his fingers and got them back to the present. He immediately gave Twilight with a smug grin. "I never said they were in the labyrinth."

"But... But..." Twilight stammered as Discord walked away from her. He mocked her with his teasing voice and exaggerated gestures.

"Keep trying, Twilight Sparkle. Maybe the magic of friendship can help you." He lifted his arms in a grandiose pose. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some chaos to wreak." He disappeared in a flash of light, leaving the sky above the ponies completely covered in huge clouds of pink cotton candy, which soon rained chocolate milk over them.

* * *

Here's the next chapter... Discord's started his game and set out to hypnotize the Mane Six and turn them into the opposite of their elements... Again, borrowed bits and pieces of 'The Return of Harmony' episodes, but also set them at different angles.

This was sort of troublesome yet entertaining to do. I couldn't personalize much of the chapter, because of the events going on in 'The Return of Harmony'. My friend and I wanted to stick to the canon. But still, I added some scenes with Luna in between. Because, you know what? The fact that neither Celestia nor Luna (ESPECIALLY NOT LUNA) showed up at all while this was happening.

I thought it was very cute how Luna tried to save all of them, thwarted every time by Discord, until he ultimately put her in a snowglobe and, well, kind of intended to drown her... Geez, he does have something against his former BLSFF (Best Little Sister Friend Forever), doesn't he.

I guess that when he was corrupted he himself was turned opposite, 'discorded'. Fancy that! And all the feelings he possessed before were turned into the opposite. And... might still be lingering, apparently.

Now you see that I fixed that loose end! Luna WAS around, she just was never noticed by the Mane Six, and... According to this little story of mine, then the episodes that we all saw took place kind of as the Mane Six's POV.

Who doesn't love his mocking ways, especially towards Twilight?


	23. Harmony Is Officially Dead

**Harmony Is Officially Dead**

Twilight Sparkle continued to ponder Discord's riddle. It was harder to do than it seemed, considering that her five uncooperative friends and their bickering distracted her from the troublesome, cunning message that Discord had given them. The constant change of the bizarre environment did not help her, either.

But at last, under the torrents of chocolate rain and the then nearly deserted area that once was the Canterlot Palace garden grounds, Twilight finally came upon a realization.

She figured out that the Golden Oaks Library, which was also her home, might help them find the Elements of Harmony. With plenty of struggles, she and the other five mares made their way back to Ponyville and reached the tree library. On the way, Twilight continued to be aggravated by her friends' unusual nature, and, of course, by Discord's teasing and smug gloating as well.

The latter was one of the most irritating annoyances of all.

And just as she thought of that... She nearly scolded herself for having summoned the draconequus with her thoughts. She watched as he slid across the roads, which were formerly made of dirt before he turned them into soap.

He smirked at Twilight as he slid past her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He proudly pointed to the town that literally floated upside-down before them. "This is the _new_ and improved Ponyville, and these are only my first changes!" He leaned towards her while bending upside-down for a second.

He surprised Twilight when he popped from her side, seemingly out of nowhere, and carried her in his lion arm. "Picture it. The Chaos Capital of the World!" He held her in front of him for her to bask in the grandness that would be his Chaos Capital.

Suddenly, the moon slid up on the sky and surrounded everything in the darkness of night.

Twilight squinted her eyes as she did as Discord had told her. "I can't picture anything. It's too dark." She turned away from the dark sight, then dropped down onto the soap road as Discord dropped her.

Discord waved his lion claw dismissively as he continued to smirk at Twilight. "Well, wait a few minutes and you'll see it in the beautiful light of day. Or not." With that, he sprang into the air with his arms raised over him and vanished in a flash of light.

Twilight held on to her resolve as she vowed to restore her beloved town to normal... But she was once again discouraged as her pessimistic friends put her down once again with their negative comments and mocking laughter. "Argh..."

~~~

Regardless of the delays and annoyances, Twilight Sparkle kept on moving through the altered Ponyville, though not as patiently and optimistically as she would have liked.

She sighed once they reached the library, and turned to the others with a pleading, tired look. "Okay, we're here. Everyone, pleeease, please, _please_ just go inside, please?"

Applejack was the first to head into the tree library. As she did so, her color faded even more as she did. "I absolutely refuse."

Fluttershy flew over to the entrance after Applejack. "With pleasure." She stomped on some of the flowers that surrounded the tree before she headed inside. Her color was drained too, as were the others.

"I hate libraries!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she walked inside.

Twilight groaned and turned back to see that Rarity was still struggling to move forward with her ridiculously big and heavy 'diamond' rock in tow. "Pleeeease, we've gotta hurry!"

Rarity shook her head and gave Twilight a look. "Forget it, Twilight. I know what you're up to. The second I go in, you'll have your little minion Spike come and take Tom!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. _"Tom?"_

"Well, it's not going to work!" Rarity patted 'Tom' affectionately and leaned against him just as the dim color of her mane, coat, and even her eyes practically vanished into gray.

Twilight gave her a weary and irritated look. "You're not going in without him, are you?"

Rarity shook her head firmly.

Twilight sighed. "Fine!" She grunted as she carried Tom into the library herself, while Rarity followed.

~~~

Minutes passed in an aggravatingly slow manner. Twilight had to deal with everypony's troublesome attitude while she tried to get to work. She was not in the mood to even properly explain what was happening to a confused Spike as he trailed along with Twilight.

Spike looked at the strange scene of oddly behaving ponies before him. "What's happened to everypony?"

Applejack walked behind him with a solemn look on her face. "Ah guess you just bring out the worst in us, Spike."

Twilight groaned and walked to the bookshelves to search. "Ugh. No time to explain. We've got to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony before _somepony_does something she'll _regret!_" She gritted her teeth as she looked back at her friends.

"The Elements of Harmony? Oh, I know exactly where that book is." He climbed up the ladder to get a book out of the shelf. He held it out for Twilight to see. "Found it!" He grunted as Fluttershy threw a scroll at him, then gave her a look once she caught it and mocked him when the book fell out of his claw.

Twilight glared at her pegasus friend as she approached her with her head lowered. "Fluttershy..." She stomped her hoof forward and spoke very seriously. "You'd better give me that book!"

Fluttershy smirked and looked at the others. "Keep away~!" She tossed the book forward.

Twilight had to go through the extra task of trying to get the book from her stubborn friends as they kept tossing it back and forth between each other.

Rarity lifted the book with her magic and ran away. "Mine!"

"Hey! Do you even _know_ what you just stole?!" Twilight screamed as she quickly chased after Rarity.

"No, but if you want it, _I_ want it!" Rarity continued to run away from Twilight, even when the unicorn librarian growled and exploded in anger. As the two ran around the library, Rarity knocked down objects for Twilight to trip and fall with, though Twilight dodged them.

The other five all continued to give Twilight a very hard time. They even went as far as to help each other avoid the violet unicorn to further aggravate her. The last straw was drawn when Fluttershy lifted Rarity up in the air to make Twilight crash face-first into Tom.

She breathed heavily as picked herself up from the floor. "Where is she? Where's Rarity?!" She turned to glare demandingly at Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

Applejack turned her face upwards as she answered Twilight's question. "Beats me."

"LIES!" Twilight pounced on her friends and got into a very intense fight with them. Despite the blows and bites, she defended her right to the book with tooth and hoof. Finally, she ended up victorious, clutching the book in her hooves as she landed on the floor, away from the others.

"Get back! All of you! This is MY book. And I'm going to READ IT!" Twilight screamed at them hysterically when they tried to approach her.

Spike threatened them with a rolled scroll as he stood guard beside Twilight.

Twilight opened the book once she figured it was safe to do so. She gasped as she looked down at the open book, which was supposed to have words and different illustrations printed across the pages. Instead, the book was hollow and held the six Element artifacts inside. "The Elements! They were here all along!"

Spike smiled at Twilight as he turned to look at her and the Elements of Harmony. "This is great! Now you guys can defeat Discord and put everything back to normal!"

Twilight ran over to the other five. Spike followed her and held the book up over him for them to see. "See, girls? We did it! We found the Elements of Harmony! Together!"

They remained unresponsive to her enthusiasm. Rarity was busy polishing her Tom, Fluttershy annoyed Pinkie Pie by swatting her hoof at her mane, and Applejack shamelessly yawned.

Twilight walked closer to them and gave them a deadpan look. "You don't even care, do you."

They were quick to reply, and, surprisingly, all of them did so with unhesitant honesty. "NO!"

Twilight sighed discouragingly. "I never thought it would happen. My friends..." She frowned and raised her voice. "Have turned into complete JERKS!"

She firmly placed the Element necklaces on everypony. "Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! Necklace! And..." She donned her own Element tiara. "Big crown thingy! Come on, everypony. Let's go!"

Spike caught up to Twilight as she walked. "But, Twilight, aren't you missing somepony?"

"Nope. We've got the Liar, the Grump, the Hoarder, and the Brute. That just about covers it."

He looked at the other five. "But, what about Rainbow Dash?"

Twilight looked up, thoroughly annoyed. She got an idea, placing the remaining element on Spike's neck. "Congratulations, Spike. You're the new Rainbow Dash. Now, let's go!"

Spike gasped. "Me?! B-B-But, what if she finds out I've been impersonating her?!" He groaned as he shook his head and stared at the ground. "Ohh. That won't end well."

Twilight ignored him. "Too bad, you're Rainbow Dash." She walked forward, towards the exit. "Now, let's go defeat Discord so we don't ever have to talk to each other again!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Spike was trampled by the other eager, cheering ponies that stampeded out of the library.

...Except for Rarity, of course. She was still pushing Tom along.

Twilight had thoroughly lost her patience by that time. She dashed behind her and snapped at her. "Move!" Her yell made Rarity let out a startle neigh and cower. Meanwhile, Twilight, once again, took care of Tom's hauling herself. "Look out, here comes Tom!" She threw the rock out of the library using her magic.

As the Mane Six made their way out, they were met by Discord, who floated outside of the library. "Well, well, well. I see you have found the Elements of Harmony. How_terrifying!_" He spoke with plenty of mockery and irony in his voice.

Twilight walked closer to him and glared. "Discord! I've figured out your lame riddle. You're in for it now!"

He stepped down on the multi-colored tiled ground. "I certainly am. You've _clearly_outdueled me." He mocked her with a dramatic act. "And now it's time for me to meet my fate." He appeared a pair of green shades and placed them over his eyes. "I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies. Fire, when ready." He spoke in an unanticipated tone, followed by the forming of a target circle on himself.

"Formation, now!" Twilight called as the other four appeared around her. They seemed quite uninterested.

"Eh" They all said as they walked up to her.

Twilight looked around and found Spike hiding behind Tom. "Rainbow Dash, get over here!"

Spike reluctantly joined the others.

Twilight faced the front with determined eyes. "Alright, let's get this over with."

The Elements they wore all began to shine. All except for the one Spike held around his neck. The ponies were levitated in the air by the force of the Elements. They each released the aura of the Element they wore, and finally, a blinding flash of white light was quickly expelled from them.

Discord lowered his shades a bit to stare at them as the Elements were activated. Doubt lighted in him as he became unsure if the spell would really work or not.

After a short time, however, the light simply vanished, and all five of them fell back on the ground.

Twilight looked around them with confusion in her eyes. "What's going on?"

Applejack held her necklace. "Mine's workin'. There must be somethin' wrong with_yours._" She looked and pointed at Twilight accusingly and received a glare in return.

Pinkie Pie huffed a bit. "I HATE the Elements of Harmony!"

Fluttershy took her necklace off and threw it aside. "Hmph! Garbage."

Rarity launched herself at the abandoned necklace to snatch it. "MINE!"

Spike took Rainbow Dash's necklace off and set it down beside Twilight. "Sorry, Twilight. I guess I'd better get back upstairs and clean up the library. Good luck with all this-whoa!" He screamed as Fluttershy tripped him with her tail.

"Oops. Sorry, Rainbow _Crash._" The pegasus giggled.

"Bravo, ponies! Bravo!" Discord mocked them as he walked towards them. He clapped his claw and paw together, but switched the clapping noise to different sounds. "Harmony in Equestria is officially dead!"

He spoke joyfully as he walked over to Twilight. "Discord rules, Celestia drools."

Twilight growled and glared at him. _Oh, no way. He didn't just...!_

Discord laughed triumphantly and skied away in the new soap roads.

Pinkie Pie glared forward. "It's _your_ fault it didn't work!"

Twilight looked at her. "Who are you talking to?"

"Any of you! To ALL OF YOU! I'm outta here!" Pinkie Pie then bounced away from them.

Applejack frowned as she walked away in front of Twilight. "Ah better go, too. I've got new _better_ friends waiting for me at the farm."

Rarity grunted as she pushed Tom with her back.

Fluttershy flew away. She glared down at Twilight as she passed her. "Yeah! I'm sick of you _losers._"

"FINE! Leave! See if I care! With friends like you, who needs... enemies...?" Twilight lowered her head as she lost all of her color as well. She shed broken-hearted tears before she walked away too.

~~~

A cotton candy cloud rained chocolate milk relentlessly upon Twilight as she walked through the chaotic Ponyville without paying it much mind.

She couldn't stop thinking as she walked. _I can't believe it all led up to this. I should have known. Why even bother, then? Ugh, all that we went through... All that_ I_ went through... Everything, ignored and just... cast away with Discord's lame magic. Some friends they were... It just meant nothing._

Discord appeared before Twilight and laughed. "Oh, my stomach!"

He teleported again, and appeared floating beside her. "Twilight, you've got to see what I just did." He pointed forward with his eagle claw.

Berry Punch sneezed after being subjected to a giant pepper shaker's torture. Her sneeze brought cardboard buildings down all around her.

Discord laughed again. "It's priceless!" He looked at Twilight and saw that she had not even glanced upwards to see. She still walked with her head lowered, wallowing in gloomy thoughts, under the chocolatey rain of the cotton candy cloud.

He disappeared in a white flash and then appeared in front of her, holding a pink and white cone. "Come now, Twilight Sparkle. You've got to get into the spirit of things!" He pulled the cloud from above Twilight and started to eat it. "After all, this is your new home."

Twilight looked back at what used to be the nice, tranquil town known as Ponyville. She contemplated the bizarre disaster that she had become.

Just a day... or some nights, or... A while ago, anyway, the town had been normal and happy, as she had been. She and her friends were most likely going to do something fun together. It was going to be a new day where she perhaps would learn something new, worth sharing with the Princess.

Or perhaps it wasn't going to be that much a novelty, their day. Maybe it was going to be nothing but routine. It wouldn't have mattered to her and the ponies of Ponyville. They would have all been quite content in the peaceful lives that they had led until that day.

She would have happily performed the routine with her friends, and they would get together with her just as content as she would have felt. Or... So Twilight believed, anyway.

She would never know what that day, or those days, would have been like. She would never even be back to a normal life for that matter. At the moment, she was only full of doubts, sadness, regret... and resignation.

Not to mention the thoughts that plagued her mind and would not let her be. She had always confronted the unknown and the uncertain or problematic. But at that moment, she felt she had had just about enough. She was tired and sad, and could not look at the problem for one more second.

Her life would never be the same. Those she believed were her best friends had left her and changed. The happy memories were leaving her, as was the meaning of everything she had done until then. The meaning of her friendship, her fight against Discord, her education, her 'fate' altogether.

Things would be forever changed. Nothing would return to normal. So why should she return to the town that she had failed to help? She had had enough hopeless problems. The harmony within her, at last, was dying and cast away.

She lowered her head with disappointment and walked away. She didn't even bother to give Discord a piece of her very troubled and depressed mind. He wasn't worth it, and she wanted to move on from the failure Ponyville had become as soon as possible. She had enough failure to deal with in herself. "Not anymore..."

Discord watched her leave. "Yes!" He then swung his eagle claw down and leaped in the air triumphantly. He laughed and wiggled in the air as he thoroughly enjoyed his victory. He snickered as he got a few more ideas to further his amusement.

* * *

Well, the Mane Six got to the library, and found the Elements. However, they didn't work because, of course, they're not in harmony with one another, not even themselves. Discord was quick to mock them about it.

I. Really. Don't. Like. The corrupted elements. But I enjoyed working on this, though! Um... Even though, um, most of it was kind of the episode written back here... Hm... Well! Nothing I could do to add to it, really, and I boiled things down a bit. But that's pretty much enough borrowing from here, I'm really looking forward to the next chapter! It'll be better than this one, or at least I consider it that way.

And, I did elaborate A LOT on Twilight's gloomy thoughts at the end, when she was leaving. Kind of troublesome, that part was.

My favorite part here was Twilight's victory over her friends, when fighting for the book. Not much else.

A lot of the written material in this chapter and the last was taken from _The Return of Harmony_, part one and two. Both which belong to _My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic_, which, as you all know, was created by Lauren Faust, not by me. Think about it this way: everything that you can recognize and recall from the top of your head, "I've seen this happening somewhere else" is not mine. Most likely from the episode and I will openly admit those parts are mine. I don't want any trouble.


	24. Bitter Medicine

**Bitter Medicine**

Discord continued to rejoice with the recent victory that he had held over the very Elements of Harmony themselves. However, the more he indulged himself in the triumphant feeling, the more boring it became. The joy of his well-earned win was losing its appeal rather quickly, much to his disappointment. It was already sitting into him, and he hated anything 'sitting' in or around him. He had to keep things moving, even his thoughts or any events that took place near him, in order to remain interested.

Just as he was about to discard the whole victory off his mind and be on the go again, he got a great idea that was sure to shake things up.

"Perhaps I should pay somepony another visit. It seems to be turning into a rather interesting routine... So to speak." He chuckled and vanished after he turned some more buildings of the town into ice cream and marshmallows. He obviously did nothing to help the ponies that had become buried and trapped in the excessive piles of the desserts and sweets.

~~~

He headed back to Canterlot and searched around the palace for Celestia. Finding her in a study room that he didn't quite recognize, he turned invisible and entered. He gave his voice an echo as he spoke, for good effect, like usual. _"That is certainly much mail, what you have there, dear."_

Celestia glared around and stood on guard immediately. "What do you want now, Discord? And what did you do with Luna this time?!" If Discord was around and Luna was not, that couldn't mean anything good. "You'd better not hurt her."

He laughed at her caution and seriousness. "Oh, come now, Celestia. Don't over-think things like you always do! She's fine, she just... went to cool herself." He chuckled, then stood before Celestia. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I don't feel like dragging on the conversation."

Celestia turned away from him. "Good, because I don't feel like talking to you."

Discord smiled and ignored her as he continued. "We both know that we can't destroy each other. You don't have your Elements, and I simply don't don't have the wish for it. So why have I come here before I turn Ponyville into the new Chaos Capital of the World?" He smirked and looked down at her. "It's very simple. I've come here because I really want to know something that... Perhaps neither of us have thought about for a thousand years. A real interesting thought, indeed. I bet you're gonna like it."

Celestia glanced at him cautiously. "Just what is it, Discord? I told you, I really am not in the mood to discuss anything with someone like-"

Discord covered her mouth with his paw as he frowned a bit. He spoke with firmness in his voice, as if he was scolding her. "Celestia. Let me talk or I'll hypnotize you silent."

Celestia glared at him. She grew angry at his very nerve; to mention something like that in such a careless manner... Her glare intensified, but she remained silent. _You...!_

"That's better. Now, you can talk after I've asked my little question." He let her go and spoke casually. "Was there ever a chance for us to, you know, be truly together?" He looked up at her curiously. His tone turned just a bit graver, but still remained calm.

She blinked with surprise and stepped away from him. She actually was not expecting that sort of question. "Wh-Why..." She took a moment to compose herself. "Why would you want to know something like that? Why _now?_ It's... It's pointless."

She turned away from him and continued to send the letters away. As she did, she also tried to ignore Discord. However, she knew her attempts would be futile. What with Discord being the menacing element that he was, and... Him having that attitude of his (which, over time, she would have everypony know, she had convinced herself was complete and absolutely _obnoxious,_ not 'cute' and 'funny', as she so foolishly and naively had deemed it when she was younger). None of those details ever failed to call for her attention, and effectively distracted her from her task in a matter of seconds.

Her concentration was disrupted further when she thought she had felt Discord's presence approaching her some more. _No,_ she thought. _He wouldn't._ She did not turn back as she debated in her mind and tried to continue her task with the letters. _Even_he _would not have that kind of shameless nerve-_

She yelped with surprise as Discord proved her judgment of him wrong yet again and suddenly, and quite shamelessly indeed, held her shoulders and brushed his tail against her body. "Wha-" She blushed and glared at him again as he leaned his head closer to hers, snickering all the while. "D-Discord! Get your claws off me this instant!"

"Oh, don't play coy. You sure enjoyed that, didn't you?"

She struggled against him. Secretly, she hoped she would land a hoof somewhere on his face. It would serve him right for being so rude and improper. "Let me go!"

"Oh, fine then, you prissy princess." He laughed a bit as he wrapped his body around her and held her closer. When she started to protest, he silenced her with his paw and a smug smirk of satisfaction. "Well, hey. You never said anything about this, so don't complain. It's not like it _hurts_ you either, Tia."

"Let me go! You really do have some awful nerve, you! Daring to do something like this...!" She glared down at his body as her horn started to glow. She did not get to cast her spell, though, as Discord dropped her on the floor, which he had lifted her from by a couple of feet.

Discord grimaced and shook his head with distaste. "Ugh, all the time that has passed in this world really hasn't done you well at all, Tia. You sound just like Luna."

Celestia still blushed a bit as she gave Discord a flustered and angry glare. "Not only did you become evil and completely indifferent to others... You turned shameless and indecent, too?! I really don't like bringing up my high position, Discord, but your disrespect towards royalty figures certainly does reach the limits!"

Discord rolled his eyes and glanced up as she angrily nagged him.

"Why would I ever think of anything regarding you in at any time?!" She huffed out a breath and then inhaled deeply to calm down. "...If anything, all I may have thought of concerning you would be how peaceful and happy the kingdom has become since you were sealed away."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her another satisfied smirk that irritated her more. _Ah, so she did think about me._ He slid next to her and grabbed one of the letters from the pile in front of her. He looked it as he spoke. "Come now, surely there could have been a chance, Tia. Don't avoid the subject."

"Don't call me that!"

He grinned at her, delighted with her annoyance and exasperation. "Tell me. If I was not a monster, but rather a handsome stallion... Would you have loved me more back then? Would that fit your standards so that you'd accept me and give me all your heart?" He disappeared and reappeared sitting on one of the couches in the room. He wore reading glasses as he chuckled and skimmed through the letter.

"...I told you before and I will only confirm it now. Your appearance. Did not. Matter to me." She stepped forward to confront him. "The fact that you had no name, that you seemed bizarre, that you had strange ways and sense of humor, and were completely different from others did not matter to me! After all, was I not the one who accepted and even enjoyed most of what you did?!"

She looked out the window sadly. "It was... It was what you did for others that did matter... What you did for Luna, for our kingdom, what you did for me... The good things that we could have done together, what you could have brought to everypony..."

Discord glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. _Well, who says I would've brought anypony anything good? That's the whole reason you two sealed me away!_ He frowned a bit and looked away from her without giving her a reply or comment to her speech.

She stared ahead as she continued to speak. Her voice had dropped to a very serious and low tone as her eyes hardened. "But it's not like you gave any of that a second thought, is it? I don't understand why you're even bringing it up now, as it hardly matters anymore. It was more than a thousand years ago, and you were the first to make his eager decision about it."

He seemed as though he had not been listening to anything she said at all. He turned to look back at her with a clueless, bored expression. "Was it really me the one who did that? Not the way I remember it, Tia."

Her voice raised for a bit as her temper flared just for a brief moment. "Oh, it most definitely was, Discord. It was all you. We gave you a chance, but you never hesitated to ignore it and cast us aside to embrace your chaos!" She glanced down as her eyes and her voice filled with quiet hurt. "Cast us aside like we never were of any worth to you... Like the time we spent and the friendship we made meant nothing..."

Discord sighed annoyedly. "Oh, you've always been SUCH a drama queen, it gets so old and boring! At least in _that_ you share a very high position, you and Luna both. Exaggerating things is another very well practiced and perfected talent of yours, Celestia. You truly misunderstood things and have stood on your martyrized pedestal for more than a thousand years. It's time somebody clears that awful misunderstanding and mistake of yours. Your exaggerations are pointless, for I never-"

Celestia firmly interrupted him in the middle of his denial rant. "Should I quote you on it, then? I remember that time all too well. As well as the time when you manipulated me into fighting my own sister, Discord, using nothing but my feelings. My feelings for_you!_" Her voice had risen by degrees as she grew more upset with the questions and statements that she steadily threw at him. She had even gotten closer to him as she spoke to confront him better.

He approached her as well with an indignant and annoyed expression. He the letter away as he glared at her when he stood in front of her.

He was not about to let her win that argument. She had no reason to accuse him of anything, like she was always the entity of Perfection itself. Sure, he'd made a mistake, a youthful mistake, by taking such drastic measures back in the day to ensure friendship and love that only he had been foolish enough to believe in. It had only been a ruse that had been played in his mind all along, but regardless of that, he had tried hard to keep it. And in the effort to fight for whom he thought were _friends,_he had 'endangered' the peace of the princesses' kingdom.

Well, his careless mistake clearly was never forgotten. To top it off, it had enabled the princesses to forever victimize themselves and put him as a tyrant, when all he had tried to do was dispel the organized, ordered lies and control upon the princesses that would have kept all of them away. Granted, he was wrong when he decided to fight hard for his 'friendship'. For a pair of spoiled, judgmental, close minded princesses that did not deserve nearly a bit of his efforts, and never would.

But, as time passed, Celestia had made plenty of big mistakes herself. Mistakes that had endangered the kingdom as much as his had. Mistakes that had cost her close friends and a sister (much to his glee; his prediction had been all too accurate. Shows the Sun Princess right for doubting and accusing him of lies).

He wasn't about to let her judge him and dump all the bad and terrible instances of Equestria on HIM while _she_ got away with a squeaky-clean, false image. If they were to get dirty, it would be BOTH of them that were thrown into the muck of their actions.

He hissed and he glared at Celestia.

"You think I could forgive that you made me fight my own sister?!"

"Oh, you fought her anyway, and not only that, but you banished her as well! Quite a crude punishment for the Heroine of the Crystal Empire, if you ask me. I wasn't wrong, you know. All you were left during all this time was that dumb little phoenix bird. Philomena, right? I wonder, did she ever say anything about the punishment you gave Luna? Or did she remain quiet and suck up to you so you wouldn't banish her to some other star or planet?"

Celestia growled a bit. She lowered her head a bit before raising her voice again. "Stop it. You have no right to judge me on that, you were long gone by then! You have no idea what happened, what we had to go through, what I had to face!" She nearly sobbed as she glared aside. "It was... It was horrible... And there was NO other way..."

Discord raised an eyebrow. He remained unmoved by the pain of her memories. "Really? Oh, poor, _poor_ you. The horror, it must have been SO overwhelming. I suppose the Elements of Harmony acted on their own to seal her away in the moon, then. Since you were so emotionally broken and exhausted."

Celestia felt as though she could hit him. "Since when do you care enough about Luna to reproach me for the measures I had to take to save the kingdom?! You don't care about her, you never did! Luna _adored_ you, Discord, but that was something else you failed to see! So full of yourself and your ridiculous chaos-"

"Do not insult it!"

"Yes, I insult it! Do you want to know why?! Because THAT was what drifted us apart! The madness of it! Chaos was the reason we had to seal you away, as we lost you to it!"

Discord growled a bit and glared at her, but Celestia cut him off before he had a chance to reply.

"Luna was shattered when that happened. Nothing was ever the same for either one of us. I thought I had carried the hardest of the burden on my own, as I _loved_ you, but... I was wrong." She looked down sadly. "...She loved you in another way. She loved you as a best friend and an older brother. All of these affections were obviously far too good for someone like _you_ to deserve them, but did that matter?"

She shook her head to answer her own bitter question. "Luna only grew more susceptible to loneliness... To the saddening fact that she was born and fated to control the Moon and Night, both which... were, never going to be as joyful and lively as day, by nature..."

She sighed heavily. "She only grew more depressed and sensible when she saw the kingdom 'drift away' during her beloved night, until Nightmare Moon convinced her that they would all turn their backs on the night and abandon her. Perhaps even try to kill her one day..." She gave Discord a resentful look that made him back away and, for a second, seem uncomfortable. "Just like her very best friend had tried to do."

Discord rolled his eyes and fidgeted with his body to try to slide her dark comment off. He also mocked her with dramatic gestures. "Oh, boo-hoo, poor Luna! Sure, pin all her depression and insecurity on me, why don't you! I'm always the one to blame!"

Celestia was going to say something, but he interrupted her as well. "Bah! Luna was old enough to beat me, wasn't she? She was such a big filly, strong enough to summon those Elements of Harmony along with you. Well, then she was a big filly to be mature about the night and deal with it! If you guys teamed up so well to end me, then you should have just worked it out together, Sun Princess! She just acted like the attention hoarder that she is and let her drama get the best of her, that's all."

Celestia hissed at Discord's indifference. "You...!" She finally lost her composure and physically attacked him. She jumped at him with as much speed as she could manage and even threw out her right hoof.

Discord smirked as he quickly dodged her hoof, then pinned her against the wall with his tail. "Not bad for a princess." He patted her cheek with his paw after he defeated her. "This is surprising. Finally lost it, Princess Celestia? Oh, such a disgrace! The Sun Princess fighting with brawl and physical blows like such a commoner, completely flustered. Yet here I am, hardly breaking a sweat. How unethical of you."

She tried to move her head away from his paw as she gave him the most hateful glare that she could summon. "Animal!" She bellowed, trying with all honesty to buck him with her hind hooves.

He hissed at her as his eyes glowed a bit. "You mind your language, now. Should I take it upon myself to teach you noble etiquette from the beginning, princess?"

Celestia groaned as her eyes glowed as well. Her body began to relax. She grunted when Discord let her slide down to the floor. She pushed herself up and held her spinning head. "What... What did you do to me...?" She glared at him wearily. "Y-You better not have...!"

He shook his head dismissively. "Oh, don't worry, Celestia. I don't like repetitions, so I wouldn't even dream of hypnotizing you as I did before. It would no longer be amusing, since you'd fall for it in record time."

She groaned again as she tried to get proper control of her body. "Don't be so sure of yourself, Discord...!"

"All I did was slow your horses down a bit. I don't want this conversation to become as violent as it just did, so I simply stunned you. If you try a stunt like that again, though..." He leaned closer to her, touching her neck. "I WILL make you submissive at once, as much as I don't like redos."

She looked down at the floor. She tried to summon the violent anger that had consumed her earlier, but due to Discord's spell, she found that she could not. Instead, she resigned to pick up where she'd left off before she lost her mind. "We... Everything could have turned out so well for all of us, Discord... If only..."

He scoffed and lifted her head with his paw. "Please! As much as SOME of us don't like it, we both knew the truth, Celestia. We were, are, good and evil. What would the subjects say of us? 'The sweet, good, fair Princess Celestia, lover of a Chaos monster'. Not very pleasant, is it?"

She grunted a bit as she struggled to compose herself so that she could attack him again. Perhaps not physically, of course, but magic would always do. He would not best her. She was going to prove that even without the Elements of Harmony, Princess Celestia was not a force to be reckoned with.

But the more she tried to get her bearings and concentration, the more disoriented she felt, and the more numb her body got from his spell earlier. She had no choice but to calm herself down as he watched her. But the spell did nothing to dull the intensity of the glare in her eyes, which she directed right at him.

He sighed and shook his head as he turned around. "But perhaps you're right, and we should not think about this anymore. I've spent far too long in this pointless chatter, and I just don't have anymore time! I have a world to wreak." He started to float into the air again.

Celestia smiled wryly as she still glared at him. "Is that really all you came here to do? Just gloat around and talk about the past that we both detest?" She turned away from him, leaving behind her a cold, tense feeling that struck Discord like a direct, sharp arrow. "You have a much lower character than I thought."

He gave her a look as he endured her remarks, He stood firm when she stepped before him for a confrontation. "Discord, I will be damned if I let you get away with this."

He smirked at her. "Save it, Celestia, you have already been defeated. Why don't you simply accept that fact with what little dignity and pride you have left?" Somehow he felt he was coming up short, and that idea revolted and enraged him. It meant Celestia was getting the better of him, and leaving him in the dust.

This time she ignored him to continue her speech. "And here I thought you would have more of a backbone by now, after so many years, but not so much has changed. You still approach me with nothing but taunts and mockery. I was half expecting you to try to hypnotize me again, instead of your little numbing spell."

He glared at her over his shoulder, then turned around to face her again. "I said stop it. You don't know when to lose and stand down, do you? And you call yourself a princess."

Celestia laughed dryly. "Oh, how rich. As soon as you don't like where the talk is headed, you want it to stop. _You're_ the one who brought it up. Then again..." She walked past him, back to the desk where the letters were piled. "I suppose it is to expect of you, even after thousands of years. You are still the coward, liar, unfeeling, egocentric, little-male that you were then, and you will continue to be so as long as you shall live, Discord."

"That-"

"A coward that refuses to confront the feelings that he is so curious about, just so he can do wrong over a land that has never bothered him, to creatures that never did him any harm. You cowardly set aside your own interests to be a pawn of wrongness."

"Why, you-you have some nerve, too! Now listen-"

She glared at him coldly and made him back away. "You are still a creature that will_never_ be complete, even among all his chaos. A creature that, as of the moment, I am hardly remotely interested in anymore. Your wickedness will be consumed, Discord... And I will very much enjoy that moment. For at last all your evil will be gone. Your pitiful existence will finally know peace." She sent another letter.

Discord blinked and remained frozen. He stared down at her with shocked eyes. Underneath his glare, Celestia could see actual hurt, for just a second. He had been surprised and... could it be that he was actually _hurt_ by the taste of his own medicine that she had given him to try? The sharp, cutting edge of accusations and insulting irony seemed to have gotten to him.

For one second, Celestia's hardened determination to push and pressure him as hard as he pressured her dissolved. Her glare softened as she stared at the unbelievable reaction that she seemed to have found in his eyes. She frowned in confusion and disbelief as, for that second, she watched her cold words rip through him as painfully as they had ripped her on the inside.

_What have I done...? I didn't..._

It all lasted a second, that fleeting, uncharacteristic moment of shocked silence between the bitter enemies. Whatever the princess may have felt or done next during their suspended moment of... comprehension, was interrupted when she saw the fearsome rage welling in his eyes. It was nothing she had expected, quite contrary to what she had, once again, naively believed to be something positive and regretful in him.

He snarled and quickly grabbed her as she gasped. He held her securely in his claws. He lowered his head to whisper in a low, dangerously taunting tone. "You might want to think about your next choice of words carefully, my dear. Things are a bit more intense than they were back then, what with us being older and more powerful and all. Wouldn't you say?" He growled as he stood quite close to her.

Celestia glared up at him and tried to pull away without fear. She had been wrong about that hesitation and 'hurt' that she thought she had seen a second ago. She growled as well and struggled away from him with disgust and anger on her face. "Let... me...!"

He let out a cutting laugh that actually hurt her nearly as much as she, in truth, had hurt him. "And just so you know... I don't need to drown in sorrow for my past deeds." He stretched out his arms as he gave her a shameless grin. "To which, might I add, I hold no remorse whatsoever!"

Celestia's horn glowed dimly as he laughed again.

"No, no need for those pathetic measures that you princesses are so fond of. Luna is already doing the drowning for me." Before Celestia could give him any kind of verbal or magical response, he disappeared into Ponyville to continue his master plan.

Celestia gritted her teeth as she swallowed her seething anger. The light in her horn vanished and she turned back to her desk. "Concentrate. Concentrate hard, now. Calm down!"

She quickly sent the rest of the Friendship Letters away, hardly taking a moment to pause between them. She wanted to be over with them quickly so she could go search for her sister.

"Discord, you WILL be defeated this time, I assure you. Just like before..." She hissed under her breath.

She growled and cried out with frustration as she found herself crying, unable to stop. She couldn't force or dismiss the pain in her heart that the whole wretched conversation had brought to her. She sobbed lightly, and loathed herself for every tear that she shed.

There was no use for her to cry like that, it was absolutely worthless. Shameful, even. She knew that. At that moment, more than ever, Celestia was sure that Discord never suffered with the pain that she was tortured with. She could assure anyone that while she was, for some irrational reason, doubled over and broken with the result of their confrontation, Discord was away, laughing his chaos out upon Equestria.

Discord the King and Lord of Chaos had never returned her feelings, and he never would. She was crying over something that never existed, that only she was foolish enough to feel, and worst of all, keep dimly lit and alive in her heart for all that time.

* * *

Phew! Geez, that was a bit exhausting. I DO get a little too much into the scenes to get the best in them, you know... As John De Lancie said... "For a character like that to work, you must be perfect." I really want you guys to appreciate the whole scenes and mood that is going on in the chapters, so I act it out and stuff like that, like I was a voice actor or something.

Celestia, Discord... Get a ROOM, you two! Boy, was this intense! In the beginning I didn't actually plan it to be so stuffy and tense, but then I got the amazing idea of having Celestia finally let out her sharp, nasty side with the only creature nasty enough to have the privilege to see it without succumbing into tears or shock (too much). I wanted to have Celestia score some points for a cutting sharp-tongue irony master for once. And boy, did she hit a point. Admit it, Discord, you were bested there and hardly had a comeback.

So sad, what their little love story became (or did it? Who knows...! ^^ ). Reduced to cutting at each other by throwing their past deeds and pains and truths at one another. Oh, so many songs came to my head while improvising and editing this. Mainly Whitney Houston's 'Didn't We Almost Have It All' and 'All At Once'. 'Somebody That I Used To Know'. 'It's All Coming Back to Me Now'. 'I Hate You, Then I Love You'. Etc. Hmm. Frighteningly fitting songs.

I just HAD to comment on this one with my best opinion, and I feel like you should, too! It deserves it! I haven't done a confrontation quite like this one in a while, with any characters of mine. I'm delightful and pleased, to say the least, with the results, with the feeling that it gives to the reader. Or maybe I'm just exaggerating and overreacting because it's the first intense confrontation scene between lovers that I've written in a while. Okay, author's comment off, keep on with the story.


	25. To Stone With Chaos

**To Stone With Chaos**

Discord sat in a throne that was placed in the center of his new Chaos Capital of the World. Instead of rejoicing at the bizarre events that occurred around him, he scowled at the floor and ignored everything that happened around him. He had never imagined that visiting Celestia to do a little mocking and perhaps a little investigating would leave such a bitter taste and pain in him. It was unlike any he had ever felt before.

He sighed and grunted a bit as he held his head with frustration. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Celestia's words out of his head. What she had the nerve to throw at him...

_"You are still the coward, liar, unfeeling, egocentric, little-male that you were then, and you will continue to be so as long as you shall live... a creature that will never be complete... A creature that, as of the moment, I am hardly remotely interested in anymore. Your wickedness will be consumed, Discord... I will very much enjoy that moment... at last all your evil will be gone..."_

He had to admit, he never would have expected Celestia to be able to say something like that. It was an amusing surprise to see her lose her temper as he often managed to make Luna do... But another thing was the cold, unfeeling look that she had given him when she let those cutting words come out of her mouth.

She seemed to be feeling quite empty as she said them, too. Like she had become a hollow vessel of contempt and hatred that simply poured out what she had contained for so many years.

Sometimes he wondered if there was sadness and regret in that empty shell of the princess that he had once foolishly fallen in love with. He wondered if it had hurt her to call him all those things. If she had been moved into regret to hurt as he had right then, and over the many years that he spent in stone...

No. What she may have felt as she threw her worded cruelty at him would most definitely be contempt, and contempt only. The contempt that she kept locked inside her heart for all those centuries, and that she had readied to unleash upon him were he ever to exist as an animated creature again.

That was all she could have harbored in her heart... Hatred that, surprisingly, was much more intense and agonizing, yet empty and unfeeling, than his own.

He couldn't stop berating himself for ever coming up with such a foolish idea. "Such a fool... Really, why in all of chaos did I go there?!" He sighed and shook his head. "Oh, I should have turned her into something while I was there..."

He then held his chest and frowned a bit. He felt something that he had not experienced in a very long time. In fact, he could barely recognize it (not that he ever actually could). But, whatever it was, it definitely was painful. As painful as Celestia's cruel side had been. He was actually impressed that somepony as warm and kind as Celestia was capable of showing such a soulless, agonizing nature.

He looked away as he still held his chest. "Tch! That little cunning, double-edged marvel... Even her corrupted side wouldn't be as treacherous and callous..."

When he thought about what she had said and done, he realized that once it was boiled down, her statements were not much. Just a bunch of bitter words from a sore loser, they really were not supposed to be such a big deal. Or were they?

He groaned with frustration as he covered his head with his claw and paw. That had to be the last straw; not only had the Sun Princess cut him into ribbons with an unexpected change of nature... On top of it all, she had managed to confuse the master of word games and riddles!

"This is too much, I just can't handle this... What kind of a joke is this?!" He turned over and over in his throne as he grew more annoyed. It had to be a tasteless, dirty joke.

He glanced over at the Canterlot Palace that was located in the distance. _...Did she actually say she'd be..._ happy, _if I ever ceased to exist...? Maybe I really did go insane in the stone prison, so perhaps I heard wrong..._ But his memory never failed him. He had not heard wrong.

_"Your wickedness will be consumed, Discord... I will very much enjoy that moment... at last all your evil will be gone..."_ He growled and tried to cast the thought away. "No, no, that...!" He grimaced and clutched his chest with frustration again, then cursed himself for being so weak.

There he was, suffering for pathetic words that he wasn't supposed to give a thought to. He couldn't bring himself to properly enjoy the freedom that he had awaited for so long! Princess Celestia of Equestria and the Sun truly was a rather cruel individual... Logically, she had to be, in order to turn him into stone and banish her own sister to the moon. Who knows what other merciless deeds she made during those centuries. Too bad he did not take notice of this before he...

The more he tried to ignore it, the more it flooded his mind and broke his heart, the more it did not and let him be. He wasn't asking for much, was he? Just to be able to rejoice as he took over the world with Chaos and made a mockery of the creatures that had dared torment him so.

Meanwhile, he was pretty sure that the orderly, cute, _loving_ Sun Princess was most likely still in her little study room, sending the petty little letters away, quite content and proud of herself for having dealt such a low blow to the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

_How good she must be feeling, how proud of herself she must be! Her sweet, compassionate, dainty nature is actually able to hurt, fancy that! She must be searching for her lame little sister, eager to tell her all about the astounding move she made against me._

All happy, with no care for him whatsoever. _She probably would try to contact Twilight Sparkle, too. 'My dearest, faithful student. I'd like to rely upon you the tale of how I beat Discord at his own game, do learn from it! It was an experience that filled me with mirth and pride, blah blah blah'... Well, too bad, Tia. At least you won't have your lapdog, Twilight Failure, at your disposal._

He scoffed and looked away as he leaned his head on his lion paw. "Typical of those princesses... Never giving a care for anything but their kingdom..."

She never would have any idea how hard he had tried, in his way, to keep all three of them together. He had nearly driven himself mad in the process of surrendering all those _unreal_ memories that were _not_ him, so that he could stand up to all the creatures and the order that would drift him and the princesses apart and harm them. Even after all those centuries, he had tried to get Celestia to understand that, but had failed, once again.

And what did it bring?! Nothing but burdensome feelings and pain that he most definitely did NOT need! He grimaced at the disgusting sight that he was becoming.

"Honestly... I do not need this! So what if the Sun Princess remains the uncaring little prune she's always been?! Bah, to order with her, I don't need her and I most certainly never will now that I'm king!" He stretched his arms forward and forced himself to laugh. "Now that I have all of this!"

Chaos, and the joy that it brought, would be his companion in those times of need and victory, just as it always had. Chaos never disappointed him. It never hurt him. It never forced him to make wrong choices. Really, regardless of what all the other ignorant, boring creatures said, one could never go wrong with Chaos. It was a wonderful marvel that he would not be trading away any time soon.

* * *

After Twilight Sparkle read the many letters that Princess Celestia sent to her, her color and resolve was restored. She became determined to fight for her friendships, and fight she did. She went through quite an ordeal to restore her friends to how they all were with her memory spell.

After they were all restored, they went back to the center of Ponyville to confront Discord, just as he appeared a glass, filled it with chocolate milk, and then marveled at how chaos was quite a wonderful thing.

Twilight spoke confident and determinedly. "Not as wonderful as Friendship!"

"Ugh. This again?" He groaned and did the oddity of drinking the glass with chocolate milk. As in... He drank the glass and discarded the explosive milk over his shoulder._That oddity._ He directed his attention back at them with a calm smile.

Applejack was the first to confront him. "That's right. You couldn't break apart our friendship for long!"

Discord attracted Applejack's necklace towards him with his claw. "Oh, Applejack don't lie to me. I'M the one who made you a liar." He grinned wickedly and raised his eagle talon to raise the others, save for Twilight, in the air before him with their necklaces. "Will you ever learn?"

Twilight teleported herself between the other five and appeared a force field around them. Then she floated them all back on the ground, over a patch that the force field restored to normal grass.

Twilight spoke determinedly as her friends stood beside her. "I'll tell you what we've learned, Discord. We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for!"

"Eww! Gag, fine, go ahead. Try and use your little Elements. 'Friend' me. Just make it quick." He teleported back to his throne. "I'm missing some excellent chaos here."

Twilight smiled at the others. "Alright, ladies. Let's show him what Friendship can do!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Pinkie Pie drank some of the raining chocolate milk. She ran back to the others once she was done and growled menacingly at Discord.

As they activated their elements and expelled their colored glows. Twilight's eyes glowed white as she unleashed the power of the Elements of Harmony upon Discord.

"No." Discord stared at the glistening rainbow beam as it fell down upon him. "NO!" Fear and frustration rushed to him as he tried to break free. He gritted his teeth and moved as desperation overtook him. Suddenly his shrieks ceased, his body was completely encased in stone.

He stood, once again, paralyzed as a stone statue. His body fell backwards, and a loud thud followed.

Rarity smiled as she looked at the statue, then at her friends. "We finally did it! Oh, dear Celestia, we defeated him!"

Applejack pushed her hat up on her head. "Of course we were gonna bring that no gooder down! Fella didn't know what hit 'im!"

Twilight looked at her friends. "It was the power of our friendship, of course. I'm glad Princess Celestia was able to help us see-"

Rainbow Dash flew over the statue as she rejoiced in their victory. "Oh, yeah! How'd you like that, Discord?! Who's crumbling now! Serves you right for messing with the wrong ponies! Too much for you, huh? Why don't YOU come back in a hundred years go face us!"

Twilight frowned a bit and chuckled. "Alright, let's go back to Canterlot. We have to tell Princess Celestia about this right away."

* * *

The Mane Six made their way to Canterlot once they made sure that everything in Ponyville was okay. There was quite a crowd waiting for them in the palace. Princess Celestia was quick to give them a warm welcome and recognize them for their brave accomplishment.

Celestia smiled once the young mares stood before her. "We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these six friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos!"

As the crowd erupted in cheers, Celestia's horn glowed to show the Mane Six the new addition of painted window glass, which showed their victorious confrontation with Discord.

The six ponies were showered with the cheering and gratitude of the ponies around them, as well as Celestia's grateful stare and smile.

* * *

Meanwhile, that same afternoon, a group of guards arrived in Ponyville to take Discord away. Princess Luna monitored the entire process.

For the most part she retained a dignified, serious attitude. She did not want to seem improper before her guards and subjects. As much as she wanted to give Discord a piece of her mind, it would just have to wait.

"Hurry, guards. We do not want to stare at him any longer. Our citizens art bound to grow restless and upset if they were to see him, too. Even as stone, he wilt be nothing but trouble for us. Bring the wagon." She watched the guards leave to pull the hauling wagon over. She stayed silent and still for a few seconds until it was sure that they had all left..

Once she was alone, Luna growled a little and she glared at Discord. She jumped on the statue and stomped on it. "Perhaps We should throw thee down the lake and see how THOU liketh it!" She stomped on the statue again as she stood on it. "A fitting end to thee, ist it not?! Arrogant, cynical fool!"

The guards stared at her quietly as she threw her tantrum. "Um... Princess Luna..."

Luna blushed and turned to see that they had arrived with everything to haul Discord away. She cleared her throat and regained her serious manner as she stepped down from the statue. "Yes, We know. Taketh him away now. He shalt be banished to the palace vaults. Or the dungeons. Whatever our sister prefers."

With that, she simply watched and followed the guards and the wagon as the hauling task was completed, the guard and princess all headed back to Canterlot.

* * *

Some more hours had passed by the time the Sun Princess quietly made her way down the many stairs of the palace. She looked out the window and saw that night was well under way. _Just as well... The last thing I need is Luna trying to interfere for this... I need to think clearly._

She looked up at the enormous, dark purple doors that would lead to the large basement and storeroom in the palace. _...Very, very clearly._ Her horn glowed and she opened the doors to enter the dark, dusty place.

She coughed a bit as her movement brought about some dust in the air. "Dear pegasi heavens... Just how long has this place been unattended...? I'll have to tell some maids to do what they can here..."

She continued to make her way through the storage room, occasionally gazing at the many belongings that the Royal Family had possessed over the centuries.

"A lot certainly needs to be done here." She stopped when she came upon a cloaked, tall figure that laid in the corner of the room. She could tell the covered object had been placed in that spot very recently. It was basically clean, save for the dust that had fallen on it from the other artifacts while it was placed there.

Her face turned serious and a bit weary as her horn glowed again to remove the cover from the object... Which was revealed to be Discord's statued self.

"...Goodness, Discord... You look worse than ever... Did you not experience some sort of 'pleasant thought' during your last moments, like last time? With this I now confirm that my centuries' old doubts were true... The reason why you were so happy back then was because, even during your defeat, you managed to confuse and antagonize Luna and me... Too bad you didn't get a chance to do so this time. Such a shame I didn't get to be there. I would have expressed all I wanted you to know before you cowardly slipped away."

She looked down. "There are just so many... many things I've been wanting to tell you and do with you..." She frowned just a bit. "I still have so much locked in my heart. I can barely understand it. But... Enough. I didn't come here to pour out my feelings to stone. I didn't come here to talk to stone, either. That's ridiculous. I refuse to do anything you would enjoy."

She remained calm and collected as she sat down while staring at the statue still. She wasn't really looking at it anymore. Her gaze was lost into the many thoughts that ran through her head. Analytical and objective thoughts. She assessed all that Discord was, and would be, if he was given different paths and choices. As many as she could afford to give him

"Well, Discord, unfortunately there isn't much to you. I don't have good news to tell you, with all you have done, your future remains rather bleak. As bleak as your present." She lowered her eyes, in thought again. "But..."

She remembered the comfort that their master and teacher, Starswirl the Bearded, had given them in the aftermath of their battle with Discord so many centuries ago._"...Thy friend ist still there. Perhaps, in time, he wilt find his way back to thee."_

Oh, Master Starswirl... Even you were quite naive...

"Thou art leaders. As such, thy friends wilt NEVER be of bigger importance than the citizens and subjects that thou art commended to protect."

Celestia lifted her gaze as it grew a bit more determined. She looked up at Discord and stood up again. _That's right... I must think of the ponies that I lead... The ponies that depend on my good knowledge..._ "Because nothing is more important than the lives that have been put under my responsibility. For them... I'll do anything indeed."

She continued to stare at her defeated adversary as she lighted a portion in the room with the golden magic of her horn. Her magic aura had made a circle around herself, on the ground, that was free of dust, spreading through the nearby objects to light them up just a bit from their dim, forgotten state. As she stared at the statue, she could have sworn that she saw the cold stone... thaw, ever so slightly, in the presence of her unshakable resolve.

* * *

Loved Luna's reaction in the end. Discord DID end up trapping her somewhere and bullied her every time he tried to gain control... I really liked Discord's reflection in the beginning.

How funny that in the end of the previous chapter, I had Celestia suffer with her reflection of her broken emotions and dreams. In the beginning of this one, Discord contemplates of the horrible fate he's suffering.

Once again, the delicious, one-sided misunderstanding perceptions of the other that I am so evil and am growing fond of. Very fond of.

But... Ugh. I feel this chapter is ABSOLUTELY... Lacking. I don't like it at all, but I was a bit rushed. I think the ending was weak... There needs to be more dialogue and narrative with the actions in the palace, and with Luna... But... I don't know, I dislike this chapter so much (except for Discord's reflection) that I don't even want to get back to it. But I will, because I'm dedicated and thoughtful like that.

So expect edits on this that will probably make it much nicer. And while you do, maybe you could lend a hoof here and suggest how I could make it better?

There, I did just a minor edit! (Suggestions will still be greatly appreciated and considered) Improved Luna's tantrum scene, and added something special! Celestia's odd visit to Discord in the old storage room of the palace... We see she has come to a strange, determined conclusion after her time there... Wonder what she thought about? I think that gives a little insight/foreshadowing on what might happen next... Not to mention it definitely makes the ending stronger. Maybe I should add more descriptive details of the environment around them... Like, the palace at night, when Celestia was walking down the halls... How silent everything seemed... That would add a little spookiness to everything. I loved the description of the storage room and Celestia's resolve.

OH! I FORGOT TO MENTION! This is the end of Chaos Origin. Or... I consider it to be. Fear not! I am going to write a second part, a sequel, to this. Because I'm sure you guys will hate me if I do. Sorry if I make you mad and grumble... It's NOT because I want you to keep reading. It's because I thought that Chaos Origin has enough chapters now, and it will be better ordered if I make another part in the story. If you've become impatient and desperate and won't put through other parts, then message me and I'll give you an overview on how this story ends for good. I'll understand.


End file.
